Simply Torn
by xKazuko
Summary: While Inuyasha struggles with feelings for two women, a man with his face threatens to take them both. {InuxKik} -COMPLETED-
1. Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do acknowledge the fact that none of the charries used in this story belong to me. They were, in my stead, thought up from the wonderful mind of Rumiko Takahashi.

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**Chapter 1: Nightmares**

The inu hanyou sat up, panting heavily in the darkness.

Looking around, he saw the forms of his sleeping companions scattered across the floor. Sango's body was turned towards Kagome's, the small kitsune Shippou curled into the raven-haired school girl's arms. The houshi's robe-clad body had moved -consciously or not - closer to Sango's, the ghost of a smirk playing across his face.

So it had been a dream. They were all still alive and well. Inuyasha sighed heavily in relief, the images of the nightmare he'd woken from still dancing in his mind, tugging at his reluctant memory. He was no child! He stood in the face of demons, his brother, and the angry Kagome without any apparent fear, how could something such as a dream shake him so?

Fresh air is what I need..' He thought to himself, silently getting up and making his way to the door of the hut. As he swung it aside, his amber gaze reached to the sky. It was an ever-stretching void, littered with small lights known as stars that had always been described as beautiful. But this sky's favorite decoration was obviously it's moon, which hung ripe and full among the twinkling lights.

With another burdened sigh and a deep intake of breath, he looked at his hands, curling his claws into a fist. No.. That didn't happen.' Their blood was not on his claws. Why would he be haunted with scenes such as those? He would never have the heart -the will- to slay his friends that way.

Apparently, in his nightmare, neither did Kagome. She was so foolish! Why would she keep coming towards him after he'd murdered the houshi, Sango, and Shippou? What was that look on her face as the tears ran down her cheeks when he used his claws against her?

He shuddered in the crisp coolness. It didn't really happen. It never would. He'd never hurt her.

As he was lost in this faded terror, this undeserved guilt for something he'd only done in the subconscious, the white ears atop his head swerved to one side. No, that wasn't his imagination. Those translucent demons were really there.. Not too far away, gliding almost silently to a forest that bore his name and was all too familiar to his past.

No..' He thought to himself. The miko couldn't possibly be here.. Could she? There was really only one way to find out. A torn gaze flew to the hut where everyone lay asleep, and then to the trail of the soul gatherers. I won't be gone long.. I'll just see what she's doing here..' He told himself firmly, nodding decidedly.

And with that, and only a slight glance backwards to the hut, Inuyasha bound off to where he knew he would find Kikyou.

**END

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la! did you like it? review. please. 


	2. Chase

Disclaimer: Yes.. As I've said before.. I don't own and never created any of these characters. Rumiko Takahashi is rightly credited for doing so.

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**Chapter 2: Chase**

She knew. She knew he was coming. How could she not know? Of course he'd been staying there that night. But it wasn't as if she'd been following the hanyou and his companions... But Inuyasha's presence hadn't been something she could erase from her conscious.

Inuyasha's presence was always tugging at her mind. Tugging at the sham body of clay and bone. Maybe she had followed.. But it hadn't been voluntary. If her aimless steps had brought her near him.. She would deny with conviction that it hadn't been in her mind to do so. Because to anyone but herself, the miko seemed just a shell.. An emotionless doll that could hold no feeling but hate for the hanyou, Inuyasha. She could tell anybody that it was with loathing she thought of him, that she despised him with every fiber of her being.. And anybody but herself would believe it.

It wasn't her intention that her gatherers grasp his attention in their claws as they did the orbs of blue light that were souls of deceased women. She hadn't sent them his way, merely sent them away. Anyway they could find her nourishment. She was so in necessity of replenishment that it was difficult for her to move.

The tree she'd pinned the love that had betrayed her to.. The tree that had set the demise of both of the star struck lovers. Despite the unfavorable memories, this tree was the one Kikyou sat against, awaiting the demons she knew would obediently make her way back to her, only thinking in her wildest dreams that there would be a white haired hanyou trailing them.

- - -

Neither could Kagome have known about the gatherers.. Except that she was woken with a shiver, followed by a realization that Inuyasha was missing.

She slowly got up, careful not to stir Shippou from his sleep surely of sweets and naive happiness, or wake Miroku or Sango. Successful in this, she left the hut, and was only able to witness the smallest glimpse of a red kimono; illuminated by the moon she knew to be full. The fact that she saw the bodies of the translucent blue demons leading him.. Somewhere.. made things only worse.

A fist gripped her chest as resentment stung her eyes. _'Not again.. Not again, Inuyasha..'_ She thought over and over.

And so she followed the hanyou, cursing him in her mind and under her breath as her steps brought her also closer to the Priestess and her Inuyasha.

They disappeared into the trees, but Inuyasha was certain he no longer needed their guidance. It wasn't only his nose that led him to her.. It was something he felt.. Something inside of him that just told him where she was. Or perhaps that was just what he romanticized it to be.

There was a clearing that was circled with tall trees. The two demons he'd followed were now retreating to the uppermost canopy; hovering in the branches and foliage of a tree that was supporting the heatless back of an animate corpse.

"K - Kikyou.." He whispered, almost inaudibly. Her chocolate gaze flew to meet his own, something inside the motionless body turning on.. Or up.. Or maybe off. She wasn't sure.. But something changed when she saw him.  
**END

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Okay.. This time.. I am asking for advice.. I'm not sure as to what should happen.. o.O Any suggestions?


	3. Pain

Well.. Here I go again.. Originally.. I wanted this chapter to be uber-long and introduction of the plot.. But it all turned quite.. Fluffy.. (that is, if you like Kikyou/Inuyasha) And.. Spikey (that is if you like Inuyasha/Kagome).. 

This has taken me forever to get off my lazy butt and write because.. I'm lazy.. (redundant) and.. I don't know.. Please R&R to help me /lose/ the laziness and write more often.. o.x

Disclaimer: Nu-uh.. Takahashi lady made them before me.. -snaps- darn..

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**Chapter 3: Pain**

But this thing that changed her.. Was it good or bad? Which impulse was stronger?; the want to stand and shoot him, or the one to simply look at him? Rather, the question was not which was stronger, but which took less will. If it was harder for her to fall into his embrace than it was to nock an arrow into the ever-present bow at her back and point it as his heart? The heart she knew, somewhere, that she needed. The heart she knew still needed her; despite the girl.

For now, neither impulse won, because she found she couldn't stand up, or keep her gaze on his. The amber eyes held too much truth. He had been sleeping next to the girl, next to Kagome. His eyes were filled with a waning layer of pride, attempting to hide the guilt and pain she wished she could remove.

But were those her real wishes? Did she really still love him? Was it at all possible for a body such as her own -nearly soulless, lifeless, cold- to hold on to sentiment?

"Kikyou.. What are you doing here?" It was said quietly, his voice strained. Her gaze lingered on the ground as she pondered.

She found herself silent in hopes she could keep her breathing steady. Breathe? Did dead bodies breathe? But Kikyou didn't stop to wonder whether or not she'd collapse if she stopped pulling in air, because her attention was averted to a swishing sound in the near distance. (1) Finally, they were coming back. She looked up to see him studying her, standing quite rigidly as the demon floated past his head, illuminating his visage with a soft blue glow before reaching it's master. He didn't even break his gaze on her to watch the blue orb absorb into her body; and hers didn't break from him when she felt she could stand.

The energy she had gained wasn't much, but she was able to shrug the suddenly cumbersome bow and quiver from her back and get up, leaning against the tree.

"I see that again you haven't brought.." Kikyou paused, wondering how to address the girl that was both mimicking and ruining her life at the same time. If there was a life to be ruined in the clay body. "Her with you. But I'm sure she knows you're here. You wouldn't keep secrets from.." Again she paused. "_her_."

"Why are you still so bitter?" He took a step towards her in a momentary impatience. "First, you try to kill me. Then, you tell me you love me (2). Then, you try to kill me; then you give Naraku Kagome's jewel shards; then you claim my life as yours and.." His brow furrowed slightly. It was remarkable to the miko how similar he looked to a hurt puppy. "Now you speak to me as if I'm scum." His eyes were slightly narrowed as he looked upon her.

"Inuyasha." Kikyou was surprised at the strong voice she emitted, for it hardly mirrored the turmoil she was faced with inside.

- - -

Were they really fighting? Kagome had followed the lone demon to where she hoped she wouldn't come across a tryst. She hoped she had placed herself downwind of Inuyasha, not sure if Kikyou could sense her or not. She hoped also that she was far enough away that a stray gaze wouldn't pick her out from the dense foliage.

But both voices were harsh. Kagome's heart lifted at the thought of neither of them being in love with each other any longer. Was it possible that Inuyasha had come out here to break everything off with Kikyou? Kagome laughed slightly to herself. "There never was anything, right? Not since I've been here." It was an inside thought to help reassure herself that a tender scene she had witnessed before wasn't going to repeat itself tonight.

"Of course not." The inside voice told her, and she smiled. "Inuyasha loved Kikyou, but now he loves me." With that thought, Kagome found it hard to keep from jumping up and down. Inuyasha _loved_ her, and here he was with the un-dead priestess to make sure she stopped coming around!

"But what if Kikyou still loves him?" An inner question that dampened her happiness a moment. But wasn't it Kikyou that had started the bitterness that had been contagious to her hanyou? If Kikyou still loved him, why would she lure him here only to be mean to him? The naïve mind of Kagome saw that as impossible. They were here to renounce their love. It was over. He was hers. Again the urge to dance came upon her, but she managed to stifle it with a quiet giggle.

She wanted to rush out there and throw her arms around him, telling him she loved him too. But she'd wait. She didn't want to make this any harder for them than it already was. So the girl decided to watch until Kikyou disappeared; then she would tell him.

She could hear most of what they were saying; some words were lost on the wind or what have you, but she got the marrow with the tones and gestures. If they weren't standing so still, she'd get it even deeper, but their faces and acrimonious voices were more than enough to assure her things would be good tonight.

So for the time being, she sat down against the tree behind her, dark cerulean eyes steady on the scene unfolding in front of her, butterflies in her stomach. Should she tell himof her love and kiss him, or tell him and wait for him to kiss her? She squirmed slightly in glee, trying to stop another giggle. Leaning forward, she plucked a flower from the ground and looked at it a moment. The petals were a bright red, fading as they curled towards the very yellow center.

Slowly, only paying half attention to the conversation, she picked one of the petals off the flower from the center, whispering "kiss him" and "don't kiss him". Hadn't she seen something like this in a movie? Yeah, except she'd changed the words. (3) She already knew he loved her, so she would choose which course to take through this cute little flower. She'd always loved flowers!

- - -

"What? You can't just say my name and not continue." He was still glaring at the miko who, after uttering his name, had lost her voice. It had been drowned in those eyes. The snide, cutting remark she had wanted to say had evaporated from her mind. She couldn't even remember what it was she was going to hurt him with, let alone say it.

Her eyes dropped and she took a deep breath. "I'm sorry.." She bowed her head, not wanting to look back up at him in fear his eyes would also swallow her calm, cool facade.

There was a note of remorse in her voice that had only just announced itself. "Don't apologize for something so menial." He snapped, confused. He was slightly reluctant to speak to her so, but the disrespect towards his relationship with Kagome stung him.

"I.. I wasn't apologizing for that, Inuyasha." She glanced up at him, but found it too hard. The act was shattering as it was, she didn't need the twin amber pits boring into her milky brown ones to complicate things further. "I..." But her reserve cracked and she fell to her knees. On impulse, Inuyasha took a step forward, reaching out a hand. Of course, he was too far away to catch her, and wasn't sure he would have tried had he been in close enough proximity. It was just an impulse, after all. Feh, she could catch herself. His hand dropped to the side again, but he didn't take the step back. He watched her a moment, only a little worried.

Kikyou managed to compose herself, using the large sleeves of her priestess robes to wipe away the solo tear running down her cheek before it was noticed by the hanyou, shocked by it's presence and the presence of the unspent ones blurring her vision. '_Stupid Kikyou! What the hell do you think you're doing? Too vulnerable!_' She raged inside herself.

"Then what? Are you sorry for talking of Kagome like she were some wench, or a stupid girl?" Sure, he'd called Kagome a stupid girl more than once, but who was Kikyou to say so? Kagome _was_ her reincarnation, he thought sheepishly. Who but her would have that right? He blinked to himself, shaking his head. They were different. And his feelings for the both of them different. He loved.. One of them.. And the other.. He loved. But who did he love more? He would say Kagome, but was the stinging resentment he felt towards Kikyou just a mask? Was it a barrier, hiding something that would be too painful if not reciprocated? He.. Didn't know. And his ignorance of this situation he was so a part of killed him.

- - -

Kagome had stopped in her petal-plucking when she heard her name. There were only a few petals left, but she had tuned out in her happy musings from their conversation. What had he said about her? He was still looking angry, but not as intensely mad. What did that mean? Had his features softened at her name, or was it something else? And why was Kikyou kneeled on the ground? How had all of this happened without her noticing?

She watched silently as he took another couple steps towards the miko, taking a breath to speak again. Kagome strained to make it out.

- - -

"Is that it! Answer me!" He was nearly shouting, looking at the woman he had loved on her knees in front of him. Why was he so angry? Why around her did his emotion always go haywire? He paused, waiting for her response. When there was none, he practically lunged at her, grabbing her roughly by the arms and pulling her on her feet.

- - -

Kagome gasped. He wasn't going to kill her, was he? Something inside her told her she'd be happier with Kikyou dead. She was too much of a threat to her happiness, even if they didn't love each other anymore. But she didn't want Inuyasha to _kill _Kikyou.. She knew that the guilt of that would make him miserable forever, wouldn't it? Should she cry out, tell him to stop? She would have, but her vocal cords suddenly restricted. She saw the deep brown gaze of Kikyou flick around as she was hoisted in the air. It stopped dead on Kagome's hiding place, sending a shiver down the school girl's back. How did she know she was here? A hand flew to her throat. Was Kikyou making her unable to speak?

- - -

Why was that stupid girl here? Kikyou was sure not to look too long at Kagome, wondering how Inuyasha had not yet noticed her. His rough and potentially violent actions had surprised her, but she didn't cry out, didn't struggle. Not only did she not have the strength to pry herself from his grasp, but she didn't really want to.

"Well? Speak, priestess." It was the first time he'd referred to her as that in a long while. He thought back those fifty years ago, when he would have gladly killed her and stolen the jewel. That was before...

Inuyasha felt under his claws how easy it would be now to shatter the arms retaining none of the heat life administered, but he couldn't do that. This was _Kikyou_. As her eyes returned to his, he saw the pain and regret and... Affection? His eyes widened as that pain liquefied in streams down her face.

When his hands loosened in shock, Kikyou took her chance to break away. But this was stupid, for she only fell to her knees again in lack of energy.

"Kikyou.." He had mirrored her action, dropping to his knees in front of her.

- - -

Kagome, who had been slouched over giggling to herself in her act of tearing apart the poor flower, sat straight up and leaned forward, still not able to speak. Why was Kikyou doing this? How long had she known she was here? '_Inuyasha.._' They were both kneeling. Why? The giddiness that had bubbled in her stomach turned to resentment. _Why_?

She saw his lips move. They said "Sorry." Sorry for what? Kagome felt as if she was going to be sick.

And then he reached out his arms, Kagome and Kikyou seemed to gasp at the same time. Her head had been pulled to his, their lips just brushing. Kikyou's hold on Kagome had broken when he had touched her, and as her throat was set loose, a heartbroken whimper wrenched itself out of her mouth.

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**END**

Wooh.. See, it was longer than I expected from muhself, but no plot has been introduced..o.x Prolly because I don't know what it is yet.. Anyone want to help me with it?

(1) Lol.. Near distance.. Like that makes sense.. Let's call it an oxymoron..

(2) the "then you tell me you love me" part.. I know she didn't really.. But that whole Kissing scene in that one episode, to me, was a confession of her undying love

(3) I'm sure the "he loves me, he loves me not" thing is really popular, but I got it from the Little Mermaid.. Perhaps one of the best disney movies ever.. -hums- I wanna be, where the people are.. Hehe.. I won't torture you..

-pokes kiss- See, so fluffy.. -grins- I feel evil for leaving kagome up there like that, but she had it coming. Snoopy little girl should have stayed asleep. But isn't it just so cuuuuute? -grins-

Puleeeeese read and review, dolls. I will be eternally grateful. Oh.. -remembers- If anyone else is an author of a Kik/Inu fic.. Please make sure to tell me.. I'd love to read it.


	4. Liplocked

I'll get this out of the way first. 

Nope.. Do not own Inu.. Or kikyou.. Or Kagome.. -nods- Only Kikyou owns inu.. And.. I don't know who owns Kagome..

Well.. I was ecstatic to find so many reviews! -huggles reviewers- And I'm equally happy so many of them were positive. As to the flamers.. Does anyone else find it coincidental that all flamers seem to possess such horrid grammar? I mean, can you even /begin/ to grasp what they're trying to say in any eloquency? (Eloquency.. Is that word? -puts foot in mouth-) And all the nasty words? Where is my head? It's right here -points to head on shoulders- It's awfully blonde, but I think it's working right in this fic.. Come now, can't we all just get along? If you don't like Kikyou, why read this in the first place.. It says very clearly that I favor the her and Inu pairing -duh-

But to all of you WONDERFUL people.. I thank you so much.. Motivation to /again/ get off my bootay and write write write for your enjoyment.

Oh.. And I don't know why it says I have an extra chapter.. One night I tried to update and the chapter 3 didn't show up.. So I entered it again and it said I had 4.. X.x So I'm sorry.. But there were only three.. But chapter 4's up!

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**Chapter 4: "Lip-locked"**

Her throat was free from Kikyou's grasp, but now was again tightened by the horror of the scene in front of her... Even worse than before._ He_ was leaning towards _her_, not the other way around. _Inuyasha_ was kissing _Kikyou_, not the other way around! Why was this happening? Why, why, why, why, why! Why had she followed? Why was the stupid hanyou -HER hanyou- locking lips with a dead woman!

"Locking lips" was a very colloquial way of putting it. The term so modern and belonging in Kagome's world that it probably wasn't very familiar to either the half-demon or his priestess, indeed "locking lips" on the grass not fifty feet from Kagome.

In fact, the slang version of "kissing" wouldn't fit with what they were doing. The words Kagome had thought were too small.. Too impersonal to describe what was happening on the grass.

He hadn't _meant_ to kiss her. It was a fluke! He'd leaned in, expecting her to push him away. Then he'd be hurt and go away. And Kagome would be none the wiser and he wouldn't see Kikyou again until.. Well she always seemed to be in charge of their meeting times.

But she'd responded. He didn't think she'd respond. But she'd responded. And the small ripple of curiosity and foolhardy courage evolved slowly into something that, for him, blocked from his mind everything but this Kikyou.. His Kikyou. He wasn't thinking of Kagome anymore, but one is to be sure that the consequences of this action weren't far behind.

Somewhere, Inuyasha knew he'd confess to Kagome and just hope she didn't hate him. But again, these worries were banished from the reluctant happiness he felt that erupted from the opposite pair of lips.

Wasn't this setting herself up to fall? Kikyou's eyes had widened when he'd leaned towards her, but she didn't pull away. Why? Was it because she knew Kagome was watching, or because there really was feeling? Why did she keep doubting it? It was there.. She didn't need to beat Kagome. The fact he'd leaned in was enough to do that. She didn't need to rise to his affection. But she did.. And his arms were now moving to pin her against him. It was her fault. She had kissed him back.

Being a priestess and, furthermore, dead for fifty years, this was only the second time she'd acted like this with anyone. And both times it had been Inuyasha. How many times had he kissed Kagome, she wondered?

Momentarily, she found the strength -of body and mind- to push away from him; to resist the only belonging she had. She was panting softly, looking at the ground.

She pulled away! How could she have pulled away? He was the child whose candy had been abruptly snatched from him; the kite whose string snapped as it was being reeled in. Had he angered her? Would she try again to kill him? No... She had _responded_..

"Kikyou.." He managed to whisper, though his only desire was to meet her lips with his once more. To probe deeper into meaning. To touch farther into what should have been but was shattered, what karma and mistrust had ripped apart so long ago. Her eyes held steady on the ground when he spoke her name and she was silent.

And then the air was torn with another whimper. It was quiet, but she was sure if she could hear it, he could as well. She didn't see but _felt_ him sit up straight. She _felt_ him hear her, and _felt_ him stand up. When he called out Kagome's name, Kikyou began to shudder. Violently.  
**END**

Eheh.. That's all I had time for. I promise that if my mother leaves the phone line open tomorrow I will write another more meaningful chapter. I have a small side note..

Afrodite.. I do think that ambiguity was meant in Kikyou's feelings. I've read fanfics where she was totally confessing of her love for him and he for her.. (And, sadly.. Others where he totally hates her and she dies) But that seems unrealistic. He /does/ love Kagome.. It's just that in my mind, he should love Kikyou more. -nods- But I try to incorporate his feelings for that girl into the storyline, too.. I'm sure that if I didn't I'd be getting a lot more anonymous hater reviews. And how else would an undead priestess act? She hates him but she loves him. Can't stop thinking about him even though she stole the jewel to help his and her enemy.. She's finding the stronger fluffy feelings returning and the barb-y ones leaving, but she /wants/ to be all.. Indifferent.

Lalala.. Yes.. Please, again, R&R.. I think I have an idea for a plot.. Which I'll /try/ to introduce in the next chapter.. X.x but if there are any ideas or suggestions whatsoever, PLEASE tell me.

-points to blonde head- sometimes.. I get slow and my imagination runs away and I need a little push in the right direction. -


	5. Stolen

Lalala.. Thank you for your suggestions.. Maybe they'll come in handy.. Maybe this imagination of mine will decide to kick in and help me out a little bit. You think? -crinkles nose- No.. Prolly not.. x.x 

I find myself totally bored so I thought I'd try to update. Left it hanging there, kind of, no? Hmm.. So, what shall I do? I think I know what happened to Kagome.. -shifty eyes- Muahaha..

Nope.. Don't own them, still. Do you think I could /buy/ rights? Hah.. Kidding. Calm down, all.. ;;

Okay.. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 5: Stolen**

The shuddering didn't stop as Inuyasha hesitated. Yes, first impulse was to bound up the hill and "rescue" Kagome from whatever pain it was that ailed her... That's what he always did; that's what he was supposed to do. But, as said before, he hesitated. In mid-stride he'd stopped, looking back at Kikyou, still on the ground. Did she hear it? Did she know Kagome was there?

'_Oh Kami.. Kagome was there_.' He thought. The realization struck him like a bag of bricks. She saw.. And by her whimper.. Obviously it was everything. What would he do? What would she do? Could he just leave Kikyou again..? Wasn't that what he always did? Was that wrong? Was it right? Was anything right?

Torn in his feelings, he waited for Kikyou's gaze to meet his backward turned one. Hers was filled with jealousy, sorrow.. Regret. It killed him to turn from it, but he did. And he ran as fast as he could up the hill he'd heard the cry from.

And then he was gone. She knew he was near, as she had known the girl was near. But he was gone. He was no longer hers; his body no longer lent it's warmth to hers.. Everything started falling apart as the trembling didn't stop. She knew she'd feel the eyes meet and the tears being shed those 50 yards away (1) and she knew she couldn't take it. But she couldn't bear leaving, either. So she'd sit, shaking as she looked at the ground.

- - -

It wasn't the first whimper they'd heard. It was the second one Kagome had let slip that had caught the inu-hanyou's attention and stole him from Kikyou. The second one that burst from her stomach when she felt the cold knife on her throat, and the hand on her back.

After the whimper, she had tried to get away while staying as far away from the knife as was possible.. It didn't work very well for the fact it was actually pressed against her skin.

'_Inuyasha will see.._' She had thought, trying not to panic. But who used knives here? All the demons seemed to possess more foreboding powers to use rather than simple weapons like this one.

And then there was pain. A slit in her back. Done with a nail. A long nail. Kagome cried out, wondering why Inuyasha wasn't already there. Time seemed to stand still a moment as a blinding pain burned up her spine. Was something pushed in? There was a laugh from the person holding her.. A masculine laugh. He pulled the knife back and spun her around.

Her eyes widened as she saw his face.

"Inuyasha!" She screamed; but was silenced by her attacker with a hand. The index finger on the opposite hand rose to his lips, telling her to be quiet.

WHERE WAS INUYASHA?

Kagome didn't move, staring incredulously at this man that resembled.. _him_. Grinning crookedly, he removed his hand and leaned over her. What was he _doing_? Hadn't she seen something like this happening just a minute ago?

He was _kissing_ her! And she couldn't fight back! His hands wrapped around her and slid up the back of her shirt, caressing the cut he had inflicted. The pain was gone, and something came over her.

- - -

And then she was on the ground and he was gone.. The red-clad Inuyasha standing over her, Tetsusaiga (sp?) brandished menacingly. "Where is he?" Inuyasha was sure he'd felt Naraku's presence. But it was slightly different.. Which probably signified another of his clones.

"Put it away.." Kagome whispered as she sat up, smiling lazily up at him. "There's no one here but you and me." Her gaze traveled through the foliage a minute as she thought "And her.."

He was right. She had seen... But she didn't seem mad.. She seemed, almost happy.. Dazed. "Are you sure?" he asked, confused. Maybe he'd been imagining things..

Kagome laughed. She laughed. She burst out in a fit of giggles as she struggled to help herself up. A hand was offered, and she giggled all the more as she took it and was brought to her feet.

"What's the matter with you?" He asked, eyeing her suspiciously. She hadn't let go of his hand and was swaying closer to him.

"The matter?" She frowned. "Why, nothing, Inuyasha." She giggled again. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you. More than Kikyou does.. More than you do.. More than the moon does." She wasn't really making sense.. And her drawling pieces of sentiments that were horribly slurred together ended as she raised on her tip-toes to meet him. Her hands cupped his head and she brought him forward, pulling his mouth to hers in a rather painful kiss.

As he tried to pull away, she whined, her mouth still clamped with his. Attempting to make him respond as she had seen Kikyou do, she jerked his head forward. This didn't work as she had hoped it would.. Instead, they ended up on the ground; him on top of her in a provocative position.

"Ohh.. Inuyasha.. Why?" She pouted as he pulled away from her. "You'd do it for Kikyou, wouldn't you?" This wasn't Kagome.. This was nothing like Kagome.

"Kagome, what happened to you?" He said breathlessly, shocked. He stood up and looked at her on the ground, reluctant to help her up again. Somebody must have been here.. That's why she was acting so weird.

She sat up again, glaring at him. "Why do you kiss her then pull away when I try?" She spat, looking him up and down. Something had come over her. It was a jewel shard that had been stuck into her back.. By Inuyasha! She knew it was. Who else would touch her that way and kiss her that way? Nobody else sounded like that.. Nobody else had those pained eyes she'd seen in her attacker.

"What are you talking about?" Had the thing that ran away brainwashed her or something? What happened? He cursed his luck, then Kikyou. But.. Kikyou? Could he blame her for this? No, not that he knew of. Could that whole scene been planned so somebody could get to Kagome! He fumed, clenching his fist.

"Don't think about her. Think about me. I'm the only one that belongs in your head." her voice had taken on a sultriness that wasn't characteristic of her. She grinned evilly before opening her mouth and pausing. After a moment, she whispered, "Sit, boy." And he fell with a shriek. It was then her body crawled over to his not two feet away and laid itself on top of it, placing kisses all down his face and neck. "You want me, Inuyasha. I know you do.. You know you do."

He attempted to raise his arms, but she pinned them down. His head had hit a rock in the process of falling.. And he'd become stunned. Her legs were straddled around his waist and her arms on his were enough to overpower him in this state. One of her hands caught in his hair and the other slowly caressing his neck, moving south under his kimono to his chest. Her mouth had stopped it's journey down and was now focused on his. Inuyasha could only watch fearfully, only half aware as her lips embraced his, forcing them to part so she could explore what she thought deep down was hers.

What the **_HELL_** was going on?

**END

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**

Ah! Hentaii! See why I hate Kagome? Ughh.. Little harlot.. -shakes finger- Don't worry.. I think I'll have interference soon.. And maybe even a death of somebody.. This is still rated PG13, right? No nudity or anything, hnn? -hopes she won't get in trouble- I've seen movies rated PG13 that were worse than that.. Like The Notebook.. Lol.. ;;

(1)50 yards. I said 50 feet before.. But I meant yards.. Lo siento.. X.x

Okay.. R&R, and know that Kikyou isn't gone.. Inu luffs her, yes he does. She won't disappear and Kagome will become.. De-possessed or whatever happened.. ;;


	6. Desire

Okay, I'm still so happy that you guys are actually reading this crappy thing -kicks story lacking imagination-. Thank you all soooo much -huggles readers- 

La.. Nope, don't own them.. Still.. x.x That gets stupid after awhile, hnn?

-wonders where to start- Okay.. Enjoy this chapter, too.. xPP

Oh.. PS.. I don't have rights to the song I'm quoting, either.. It's from the play "Miss Saigon" (which, btw, you should all see.. Or listen to the songs from.. It's great) called "I still Believe". I recently had to perform it with a friend for my vocal coach.. It was funny. And it fits this fic really well.. (And also btw, hehe, I sang Kim's part.. Which would fit here as Kikyou's part, where my friend sang Ellen's part, who's the equivalent of Kagome in this instance.. Inuyasha would be Chris). So I don't own rights, but I don't remember the name of the dude that does -cringes- Sorreh..

**Chapter 6 - Desire**

Kikyou didn't hear tears. She didn't hear the shouting she thought she would. She did hear Inuyasha hit the ground. Kagome and the hanyou were shielded by shrubbery, but she could guess what was going on: Inuyasha had tried to "explain" and Kagome had simply not been able to deal. She'd ordered him to sit.. And now she would start crying and he'd start yelling.

But she didn't hear either noise.. It was more silent.

Inuyasha was slowly coming back to consciousness, slightly aware of something pressing against him. And there was , of course, the hand he felt on his chest and the tongue in his mouth. He tried to push away but realized his strength hadn't yet returned to him. "Kagome!" The cry was muffled, and she took it differently than he had meant. It spurred her on rather than stop her.

And then there was the arrow. It was coated in blue light and whizzed past the school girl's head. Kagome froze.

"If you would kindly remove your tongue from my hanyou's mouth and pry yourself from his body, my next arrow won't find itself in your back."

That was Kikyou's voice, right? Waves of relief cascaded over his violated body as Kagome lifted her head slowly, freeing his mouth. "Kikyou.. Don't kill her.. Something.. Someone.." Glaring, Kagome pushed his head roughly to the ground , silencing him.

The sound of her name sent a chill up her spine, but the words after it sent a freeze to her features. "He defends you still. What do you give him, Kagome, that I cannot? What can you offer that I cannot?" Her voice was calm, but the hand pointing the arrow was shaking horribly as it was focused on the back of Kagome's head.

Very very slowly, Kagome's hand slipped out from under his kimono and brushed a few strands of hair from his face. "I give him warmth. I give him life. I _love_ him with abandon and_ heart_." She spat. "_You_ cannot. _You_ are frozen. _You_ are a shell of _me_!" She stood up and whirled towards Kikyou, eyes ablaze. "But he loves you anyway!" Her eyes became slits. "Don't speak as if _you_ should be pitied, Kikyou. You are more lucky than you know!"

Kikyou was taken aback, but didn't show it. "Shut up. Wasn't it you he fled to rescue, only to be thrown to the ground in attempted rape in the process? Isn't it always you he trades me for?" The fact Kagome wasn't herself didn't seem to matter to Kikyou. Maybe it was some wayward soul she'd consumed that was making her thoughts so irrational. That had to be it.. A woman died in the heights of love and she was just lucky enough to use her soul as nourishment. Was that possible?

Kagome giggled again, stepping over the hanyou's motionless body and practically swaggering closer to Kikyou.

**---- **_Last night I watched you sleeping_

_Once more the nightmare came_

_I heard you cry out something_

_A word that sounded like a name_ **----**

"Stupid woman." She said in the midst of her laughs. "Isn't it your name he calls out while he's asleep? Yes, it is my body next to his that keeps him warm but it is your face that he sees, your body he touches in his dreams." Her laughing was cut short as Kagome wrapped her arms around herself, spinning around with her head thrown back. "And, Kikyou. It's you he leaves my warmth for.. It's you that, time after time, he's left our cabin or camp place with a fire and food for. It's those damn demons you send to find him that keeps his mind off of me!" She was pointing to herself madly, and didn't notice Inuyasha sit up, staring at her.

Kikyou's breath became more shallow. She was lying. Her gaze was hesitant to look at him.. It would hurt to see him looking at Kagome instead of her.

---- _And it hurts me more than I can bear_

_Knowing part of you I'll never share..._

_Never know.._. ----

"And so, Kikyou." She said venomously. "I need to rid us of you. You need to die. Again. Because Inuyasha and I are meant to be; you are not." Kagome started advancing at an angle, and Kikyou backed away, which ended up in them circling each other, Inuyasha wondering what to say or do in the corner, still slightly dazed.

"Are you scared, knowing you'll leave this earth again? Are you scared to return to Hell by yourself?" She said grimly, sending a slight fright through Kikyou. She didn't have weapons, but her aura was so.. Tainted. What had happened? Ah.. The glow of a hexed jewel shard. Of course.. The girl was too innocent, damn her, to do anything like this naturally.

"Who put that in you?" She said, the arrow now pointed at the girl's heart. Not that she'd shoot.. Inuyasha was right there.. Surely he'd jump in front of the death sentence and take it upon himself. Her resolve faltered slightly as she wondered whether he'd do the same for her. Surely he didn't actually call out her _name_ when he slept? Kagome was trying to throw her off, to distract her.

Were those dreams really so vocalized? Inuyasha blinked over and over, trying to regain his wits. No, Kagome never haunted him as Kikyou did in dreams, fondling him and lighting him on fire with just her touch. He'd never realized he actually _talked_ in his sleep.

---- _But still.. I still believe the time will come_

_When nothing keeps us apart.._ ----

"I don't know what you think you're talking about.. But if you mean this new state of mind.." Kagome paused. "Inuyasha helped change me, when he kissed me." She said triumphantly.

"I didn't kiss you.." When had his voice returned? Both pair of eyes snapped towards him, but neither woman moved his way.

"What are you talking about? Of course you did. And then you made the pain in my back go away. The pain from when he cut it." She trailed off, realizing her story didn't make sense. "You kissed me and took the pain away.. And then I tried to kiss you and you pulled away and.." She was frowning.

"No, stupid. I heard you scream my name and came to see what was happening. You were on the ground and when you opened your eyes, you attacked me."

"I was _loving_ you!" She cried, rushing forward and snatching something from the ground. Neither Kikyou nor Inuyasha had noticed the presence of the small knife before she'd dove for it. And now it was in her hand. "It's Kikyou that's making you see things differently. She _made_ you kiss her.. She has you under a.. A spell!" Her eyes were wide as she spoke quietly to Inuyasha. "She knows you hate her so she put you under a spell tha-"

"I love her!" He cut her off before he knew what he was saying. All breathing was hushed. (1) Kagome, whose eyes had been focused on the miko, snapped again to him.

"You.. Don't know... You don't know what you're saying.." Her legs started shaking, she was afraid her knees would buckle and she'd fall to the ground. What was she doing? Why was she acting this way? Things came back to her in a flood of images.. That wasn't her.. That girl on the ground with Inuyasha... The knife in her hand. Tears of struggle came to her eyes as she watched the knife in her hand rise slowly. There was something telling her to strike Inuyasha with it.. And she was fighting against it. Regaining composure, Kagome made a decision. Both voices in her head told her this one was right.. This one was okay.

Kikyou had lowered her bow, her eyes ripped from the girl threatening her to the man that had.. Did he really love her? So much that he'd deny something the other girl said? A light stirred inside her and she found nothing more endearing than his eyes now on the ground. She watched him for what seemed like hours until that amber gaze rose to hers. And there it was. Flutter flutter flutter flutter. She felt airy, light-headed.

But that was broken as she saw pain and fear in his face, beautiful yellow eyes averting from her to something in front of her. Her head turned in what seemed like the last moment to see total conviction on Kagome's face. She was running, the knife held high above her head... She was running... Right towards her.

**END

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**

Ahh.. -ish scared- I seriously don't know what's going to happen.. The chapter's called desire because.. Do any of you watch charmed? Maybe not.. But it was kind of inspired from an episode of that. I don't remember what episode.. Maybe it was that one about the 7 deadly sins.. I don't know.. But there was something that made them act on their desires alone. So.. Kagome acted on her lust/love for Inuyasha in the last chapter.. And now is acting on the desire of a Kikyou-free world.. xD

1 Weird confession, eh? Doesn't seem at all like something he would do, and it didn't fit very well, either.. But I threw it in there anyway.. So sure me. -yawns-

R&R, puh-leese.. ;; I'll love yawh forever and ever..


	7. Injury

Hey.. I just realized that I had been like.. Updating every day.. I'm so proud of myself.. Hehe.. Yeah, but then I like.. Stopped for like.. Four days, right? Don't blame me.. It was my dad's computer.. It's totally un-uploading.. So I didn't even bother to write.. - -; But I am now! 

Nope.. No ownership to date of anybody here.. Except Komeru! I made Komeru up all by myself -ish lying-.. /actually/ my sister made him to look like Sesshy with black hair and red streaks.. I threw that out the window and changed everything but his name.. He's just kind of necessary to make this work.. That's allowed in fanfics, right? -isn't sure- o.O

Okay.. R&R, puleeze..

Oh.. And by the way.. That html stuff on my last chapter.. I have no idea why it's there.. -ish confused- I tried and tried to get rid of it, too.. But it just wouldn't LEAVE. x.x

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**Chapter 7: Injury**

A shriek. It was a feminine voice, coming from the raven haired girl standing in front of the other raven haired girl. A cry of pain, of betrayal, of loss. A shriek that tore apart the inu hanyou's conscience and left Kikyou speechless.

It was Kagome that had screamed.

And it was Kagome on the ground, her hand dangerously leaking the red liquid that didn't belong in the veins of the other miko.

And Inuyasha's claws were decorated with droplets of that very same blood. He was looking at them, shocked that he had used them against the woman he told himself he loved. His eyes wide, he looked over at Kikyou, who had again fallen to her knees. She'd thought she was going to die, but now the knife lay harmless on the ground next to her. Her arms were wrapped around herself and she was slowly rocking herself back and forth, her eyes fixed on that knife. Inuyasha snapped to his senses and knelt on the ground next to his miko, putting his arms tenderly around her. She didn't move, didn't speak.

"Was it wrong? I was scared.. I thought she would.. Kill you.. Did I do the right thing?" Kikyou still said nothing.. Inuyasha groaned, watching Kagome sit up slowly, confused. It seemed that momentarily, she'd come back to herself.

"Inu.. Yasha.." She was panting, looking at him. It didn't seem the pain in her hand had registered, because the terror on her face was purely there because of his action, not her injury. But she noticed that soon enough, the staining on her sleeve and eventually the gaping wound inflicted on her hand. She screamed, the feeling in her hand flooding back to her once she'd seen the huge cut. "Why? I thought.. I thought.. It was better. I did it for you.. So she'd stop haunting you.." Her voice was wavering, her tone broken, her nose running and tears running down her cheeks. "And.. Did you try to kill me?" She avoided looking at her hand, feeling the blood seep out of her, making pools in the grass under her and marking the front of her blouse.

"You're not you.." Kikyou's voice had returned to her, and she cut Inuyasha off, knowing he'd say something foolish and most probably completely inarticulate. "Get rid of the shards.."

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "You're insane! There is nothing wrong with me! I'm thinking more clearly than I ever have." The searing pain had numbed itself, with help from the hexed jewel shard in her back, and she raised her hand to wipe her face of her tears, making quite a mess of smeared blood.

Inuyasha stood up, stooping to pick up the knife. Frowning, he threw it as hard as he could into a far away tree. Kagome wouldn't be able to pull it out, despite the shard in her back. "Kagome.. Let me get it out. Can you tell me where it is..?"

His eyes.. Were so afraid. "Inuyasha.. There isn't.." She trailed off. Was there? That man with the knife that looked like Inuyasha.. It was all a blur. Wasn't he wearing green? Yes, it was green, not red.. Which meant.. It wasn't Inuyasha. Things became clearer as she remembered something being pushed into the cut in her back. "I.." Her unscathed hand flew to her back.. How did she not sense the shard till now? As her hand ran over the back of her shirt, Kikyou could see the purple glow dissipate until it was no more. Without the curse, the shard all but floated out of her skin, gently resting in her palm. "I... I'm sorry.." She looked down. Inuyasha puckered his eyes to see what she held. There was a shard.. Of course Kikyou would know.. She was a priestess too, after all..

And then Kagome, too, fell to her knees. The numbness had evaporated when the shard was removed and the stabbing pain had returned. The bleeding wasn't as thick, but it was still running down her wrist, sleeve completely soaked. The smell of her blood sickened Inuyasha, and he stood at her side, ripping his kimono and grunting for her to raise her arm. He wrapped it as tightly as he could while paying heed to her small whimpers and muffled cries. She was trying not to whine.. Knowing it was all her fault. She was shaken.. She'd really tried to kill Kikyou.. But what was most scary was that, through the fight with that other side of her, she'd agreed on that action.. She thought it would be okay.. Some twisted hope that Inuyasha would just forget about it.. Kikyou caused him so much pain.. She just wanted to see him happy.. With her..

Kikyou watched the scene. Inuyasha was trying to look like he didn't want to help her, but she could see.. The way he slackened his grip when Kagome made this sound and tightened when she made another.. How he was gentle but rough.. How he tied the make-shift bandage quickly but deftly and helped her to her feet again. He did love Kagome..

Kikyou stood up as Kagome started crying again. But this time, she felt the knife at her throat, a clawed hand groping to wrap itself around her waist.

Inuyasha cursed under his breath, whirling to see the man with his face grinning wickedly his way. Stepping in front of Kagome, he spat on the ground. "Let her go." He said simply, feeling three pairs of eyes on him.

The man, looking miraculously similar to the inu hanyou, sniffed Kikyou's hair. "But she's so pretty. You should pick this one, Inuyasha. She might be cold but she's obviously a lot less prude." He snickered. "Well, maybe not. After Kagome's little show of affection.." Hearing the small huff from Kagome behind him, Inuyasha's hand flew to the hilt of his sword.

"Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha growled, the scent of Naraku heavy on this man. So this was the clone..

"I'm you.." the man said, tilting his head to one side. His cheek rested on Kikyou's cheek, the hand wrapped around her waist raising to grab a lock of her hair and twist it around his finger. "Well, kind of. I'm not lucky enough to be kissing two beautiful ladies in one day, just one." He winked and Kagome covered her mouth. It _wasn't_ Inuyasha that had kissed her! Ohhhhh this was bad...

"Feh.. Tell me who you really are, because you're not me." Inuyasha grumbled, taking a step forward.

"I'm not? Well.. The great Naraku fashioned me to be you.. Obviously it fooled your Kagome, because she was open to my affection... But I wonder if Kikyou could learn to love another man.." He mused, looking down at her face again. Her eyes were slits, but she didn't struggle. "The real name's Komeru." He said smugly.

"Well _Komeru_." Inuyasha started. "Take your hands of Kikyou before my sword starts talking for me."

"Gladly." Komeru was grinning again as he took the knife and slashed Kikyou across the chest with it. She cried out in fear and.. Pain? And Inuyasha's sword was out in less than a second. He charged towards the offender but his gaze fell for a moment to Kikyou, lying on her back, her kimono falling over her shoulders, no blood came from the cut, but it was visible, the only flaw in her milky complexion.

In that moment he took to look at her, Komeru disappeared. "Dammit..." Inuyasha muttered under his breath, running blindly into the trees. "Coward! Come back and fight me!" His sword still brandished, Inuyasha yelled to the treetops.

"Oh Inuyasha.. You should get back to your priestess before she dies again. Souls seep from cuts as blood did from the girl. With Kagome so close.. She'll take what remains in the miko for herself.. And Kikyou will cease to be animate." The small little laugh again. "She'll leave you again.. She'll go to hell all by her lonesome, wishing you could be there with her. Hopes of a foolish woman." The voice faded away with the last few words but Inuyasha wasn't listening; he was running back to the small clearing.

- - -

Kagome had sat down on the ground next to Kikyou when she saw the first blue light escape the miko's body. She had tried shaking Kikyou's shoulders to wake her up, but it wasn't any use. "Wake up or they'll all leave, Kikyou.." She whispered. Kagome didn't realize that the soul embedded deepest would eventually absorb into her own body if she stayed this close for too long.

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he saw this happening. He knew Kagome had no bad intentions, but this was too dangerous. He didn't know how much Kikyou had lost, how much more was still in her.. Dropping his sword, he kept running towards them, sliding down to kneel next to Kikyou, pushing Kagome roughly out of the way. She let out a small cry of surprise that he ignored, hovering over his miko, worried. "What did you do? Did you take it!" He was frantic.. He was sure Kikyou was gone.. She'd never come back now! No no no no no...

"I didn't do anything.." Kagome was glaring at him. What was the matter with him? He could have just injured her hand worse! What was he thinking?

"You took it! You took her soul!" He said, trying to shake life back into Kikyou.

"Hello, Inuyasha.. It was my soul in the first place. She took it from me.." Kagome was trying to put aside her resentment, trying to comfort him. "I was just getting it back.. She's in peace now.." Or at least, that's what Kagome thought..

"Shut up. Leave." He said softly, slowly, holding Kikyou's hands in his own.

"But Inuyasha.. It's almost morning and-"

"LEAVE." He commanded.

"FINE." She yelled, tears stinging her vision again as she ran away.

He stayed still until he heard her footsteps disappear. She'd be back.. The houshi and Sango with her.. Comforting him. Damn! "Kikyou.." He whispered. But she didn't move.. And the blue trail of her life force didn't stop flowing from the long cut.

**END**

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Ooh.. What will happen? -wonders- Actually, I know what's going to happen, for the most part. 

Did ya'll like it? o.o I hope so.. What do you think will happen? Tell me! I want to see what ya'll guess.. Maybe it will influence the next chapter, since I'm only sure of the skeleton of it..


	8. Impossible

Nope.. No ownership.. -ish getting sick of saying that- 

-reads over reviews- Oh I'm so happy there are people that like it! -bites lip- And to you that said I was a.. baka authoress.. I'm sorry.. I wasn't sure whether or not Kikyou could bleed.. I actually had her bleeding when I first wrote it, but then went and erased it.. -thinks- Besides, I like the twist, even if you don't.. Left me hanging.. Wondering whether or not to bring her back to life or to take that very wonderful reviewer's advice and have Inu follow her in death..

And.. -forgets name of reviewer- thanks muchly for defending me.. -smile- And my thought of the kikyou having no blood thing.. ;;

Lalala.. Okay.. R&R, of course.. Because I seriously need the motivation.. It took me a couple days this time because my dad TOOK AWAY my computer at his house to get it cleaned.. X.x So I was utterly without one for the whole weekend.. O.o Crazy, neh?

Okay!

* * *

**Chapter 8 (I think): Impossible**

"You're certain? This is for sure what you saw, Kagome?" Sango's brow was furrowed, her hand straying to her hiraikotsu in worry.

"Yes! He looked like Inuyasha! And he used an evil shard to make me try to.. To hurt Inuyasha and kill Kikyou!" Stains hadn't yet formed on her cheeks, because the tears were still rolling. She had lied, and Miroku and Sango were looking at her oddly.

"Where is Inuyasha now?" Miroku questioned, holding his chin in one hand.

"He's still back there with.." She trailed off, tears threatening to take her already breaking voice from her. "With Kikyou! He pushed me away and yelled at me! He told me to leave, he told me to get away! I was trying to help and-"

"Shh, Kagome. You're only making things worse for your injury. Calm down and I'll help you with that. Did this Komeru leave? Is Inuyasha safe enough that we can tend to your wound before going to get him?"Sango stroked the girl's hair as she led her by the unwrapped hand to the back of the small hut, where the first-aid kit was kept.

Miroku watched, thinking. If the threat was gone, Inuyasha should be alone with Kikyou. But the houshi knew Kagome hadn't told all of it yet. Something was wrong... More wrong than had already been articulated. Her hand had been wrapped in a piece of Inuyasha's kimono, but who had cut it? Was it the miko, or perhaps the demon she'd spoken of that had Inuyasha's face? The truth never once crossed his mind. It was less than improbable, it was unfathomable that Inuyasha would raise his hand to Kagome in violence.

With soothing words, Sango slowly undid the make-shift bandage on Kagome's hand, frown never leaving her features. "Komeru left.. Inuyasha chased him. Then I noticed Kikyou was hurt and I tried to help her... The souls... they were leaving her body." Kagome winced as the bandage was fully removed and she saw Sango's eyes widen. She didn't look at her hand, but felt the pain. "I was trying to help.. But he pushed me away.. And told me to leave." She'd said it before, but now she was trying to stay calm. Inuyasha had _ordered_ her to leave. It wasn't a request, it was a demand.

This wound was bad. Blood was dripping to what seemed no end, and the fingers involved had lost all color. Sango wasn't sure what she'd be able to do. She motioned for Shippou, who was also horribly distressed and asking ignored questions a mile a minute, to open the white box and hand her a towel. Anything to cease the blood flow for a minute or so while the pot of water she'd told Miroku to put on came to a boil.

Kagome pointed to a bottle of pills and Shippou nodded. He filled a ceramic glass with cold water and held it up to her as she put the round white tablet in her mouth. Pain killer... Would make her drowsy, but it would help.

"Who did it?" Sango mused. It wasn't from a blade, it would have been cleaner. Looked like from claws, so she'd supposed that the demon Komeru had slashed at her, and then attacked Kikyou..? The whole scene was too vague to really hypothesize anything yet. "Who was it, Kagome?" She repeated, seeing the glazed look come over the girl's features.

"Inu.. Inuyasha did it.." Her whisper was barely audible, her eyes firmly on the ground. Sango and Miroku paused in their work to look at each other. That wasn't possible, was it?

"Inuyasha? Are you absolutely sure it wasn't Komeru?" Miroku's body had tensed, hoping to Kami this couldn't be true. What could have made Inuyasha do something like that?

"It was my fault. The shard.. It told me to kill him.." She trailed off, trying to remember.

"And he attacked you!" Sango's eyes kept growing in size. They'd been thrown in that situation before, but Inuyasha had shown that he would have rather been killed himself than defend his life.

Kagome ignored the exclamation. "The shard wanted me to kill Inuyasha... That's what I thought. But then I saw Kikyou, looking at him. She lowered her bow. Her eyes.. Said love. She loves him.. And he looked back at her.. The same.. He loves her back.." Her voice was soft and unstable. "And I realized the shard wanted me to kill... Didn't specify, just wanted death. And this was a death that I wanted, too.. And then I ran towards... Her."

"So Inuyasha attacked Kagome in defense of the priestess Kikyou." Miroku in his habit, had stated what was now obvious to Shippou and Sango, both staring in disbelief. The pot of water was boiling, but Miroku sat scratching his chin for many long moments before breaking the silence and moving to get it. When handed the steaming pot, Shippou poured the water slowly into the bowl with the rags, and crinkled his nose in slight pain as he reached to give one to Sango.

"This might hurt." Was all she said as she started to clean Kagome's wound while at the same time attempting to staunch the flow of blood.

Kagome winced again but didn't say anything. It didn't hurt so bad as she thought it might, the pill she'd taken was already working. Thank heavens for modern-day medicine. "Sango.. I think I need to lie down."

Before Shippou had the chance to fetch a pillow, she was on the ground, fast asleep. Funny, Sango thought, that the girl could look so sweet despite the stains down her cheeks, the blood smeared across her face and soaking the sleeve of her blouse.

"Do you think it was really Inuyasha that hurt her so bad?" This one from the seemingly hundreds of questions Shippou had asked stood out. Probably because it was running through the minds of the other two feverishly at the same moment. Even for Kikyou.. _Did he do it? _Could_ he do it?_

"Of course not, Shippou." Sango said idly, passing him a cloth. "Wash her face with this. I'll have to get this shirt off of her." She glanced over at Miroku. He hadn't even stirred at the thought of Kagome in just her underwear. Yes, this was bearing heavily on all of them.

"Miroku.." Sango whispered, looking over at him. He didn't like the frown she wore. It wasn't just worry now.

"Yes, Sango?"

"I think that I won't be able to save a couple of her fingers."

**END**

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La? I wanted that to be some possible fluff between Inu and Kikyou.. But then I realized that I don't know whether or not she's going to come back to life.. Or if she's actually dead.. O.o So I made it all about Kagome..

Lalala.. So like.. Did you like it? -prods- I hope so xP it took me like an hour to write this piece of crap.. Between having to yell at my siblings and RP with muh new link-girl xDD

And.. To you people that think I'm stupid.. I am pretty stupid.. So please know that you're not in the least bit insulting me by stating the obvious.. -thinks- Actually.. I prefer the word /dumb/ but whatever.. Potato potahto.. XP


	9. Home

-pokes- Whatever happened to Royal Jester? -wonders- Not liking the chapters anymore, or have you just disappeared? O.o 

Nope.. I do not own..

Nobody yelled at me for killing of Kagome's fingers! -grins- I'm trying to decide which ones she'll lose..

Okay.. R&R.. La!

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**Chapter 9: Home**

It was done. Kagome hadn't even woken up as Sango removed the damaged-beyond-salvage fingers from her hand. It was gory work, and Shippou was told to leave, but Sango stomached it well. Miroku was only a little surprised.. Sure, they fought and killed demons on a regular basis, but to take fingers from the hand of a friend is much different. He didn't say anything when he saw the exterminator flinch from time to time, mostly just looking worriedly at Kagome. They were both anxious, half-expecting her to wake up any minute screaming.

The wound had been cleaned again and stitched pretty well. It seemed almost seamless, but then there was the lack of the two last fingers staring the looker in the face. Distortion, deformation, it looked horrible. Kagome's otherwise unmarred body missing things so necessary to carry out simple functions. Would she even be able to shoot arrows anymore? It made Sango's work look like failure, but there was nothing more she could have done.

"You did a good job, Sango.." Miroku cooed, trying to comfort her.

"I feel horrible."

- - -

It had been a couple hours. Kagome had been placed gently in her sleeping bag, she hadn't awoken. The three other occupants of the hut would be both relieved and disdained when those bright eyes fluttered open, they knew... But it didn't seem that would happen for awhile.

"Will she be in pain when she wakes up?" It was the childish voice of the small kitsune demon and sent a frown mirrored on both Miroku and Sango's faces.

They didn't have time to answer the question, because Inuyasha came storming in, nearly tearing the door off it's hinges in doing so. His eyes were so captivating that what he was holding almost went unnoticed. They were mixed with hate and love, regret and remorse, pain, anger.. A rainbow of emotions that seemed to hold no color other than the dull amber..

"Inuyasha.." All three seemed to gasp in the same breath, shocked at the array of feeling they felt.. But they hadn't seen it all yet, and inevitably, their eyes fell to what was grasped in his arms.

He was holding her in a position little girls in Kagome's time hoped their newly-wed grooms would carry their newly-wed selves away from the ceremony. She was motionless, her eyes closed, faint blue light still escaping her. He'd probably done the wrong thing by moving her, but he couldn't leave her there.. Alone.. In a lapse of memory, he'd left his sword, but he couldn't leave Kikyou.

"Wha.. Inuyasha! You can't bring her in here!" Miroku was first to speak after the realization of the miko in his arms and the emptiness of his sheath. This was crazy!

"Shut the hell up, lech." Inuyasha snapped as he carried Kikyou to the nearest blanket. When she was comfortably placed, he turned to the shocked three sitting by the sleeping Kagome. "Get her out of here." He growled, keeping his voice soft. He found that it wouldn't be wise to lose his temper.. And he wasn't mad at the houshi or Sango..

"What? Who?" This wasn't making sense. He hadn't motioned towards anyone..

"Kagome! Get Kagome out, NOW!" Oh well.. It wasn't totally lost.. It could be worse.. He could be slashing them all to bits this very moment.. But no, his fists and jaw were clenched as he glowered.

"No." Sango stood up, confused but angry. How could he come in here and demand this of them, like he was all-powerful master or something? "She shouldn't be moved, she needs to sleep. You hurt her hand really badly, Inuyasha."

"Do you think I give a damn about that! She's stealing Kikyou's soul! Get her AWAY!" His eyes burned as he watched them stay still. "If you won't I WILL." He hurled towards the other girl's body, pushing Sango out of the way. She cried out, and the houshi moved to catch her.

"Leave Kagome alone, bully!" Shippou shouted as Inuyasha heaved her body onto his shoulder and lumbered out the door again. How far away would he have to take her? He ran a few feet and stopped, looking around. She hadn't moved, not of her own will anyway. Her head had bounced slightly against his back as he moved, but she was quiet. As he stopped, though, his ears swerved backwards slightly. This was Kagome.. He was going to leave her out here. It wasn't like Sango and Miroku were just going to forget about her, though.. They'd take care of her out here..

And then she sighed. "Inuyasha.." She said it softly, breathing into his back. His heart skipped a beat. This was bad, it was wrong..

But Kikyou.. His resolve returned and he put her on the ground.. More gently than he had picked her up. His eyes trailed over her body, stopping at her hand. Blood hadn't soaked through the white bandage.. He took that as a good sign. See, she was okay.. She'd be okay. He didn't notice the extent of the damage as he turned to go back to the hut.

He made it back slower than he had come, meeting Sango halfway. "Vile creature!" She cursed him as he ran from her and Miroku and Shippou, stopping only briefly to point which direction he'd taken her. Miroku looked more understanding, but it had been only a second's glance Inuyasha had paid him.

The hut.. They hadn't moved Kikyou. She hadn't moved herself. She was lying there, eyes still closed, body still motionless. He dropped to his knees at her side, placing his hands on each side of her head, looking down at her face, panting. "Wake up.. Kikyou, please.. Just wake up.." His was voice was quietly pleading, tears begging to be shed stinging his eyes. But no... Crying would just be admitting to existence that she was gone.. That she was dead.. He couldn't do that. He couldn't let her down that easily.

So he held the tears, and held his breath as he trailed a finger down her cheek, and over her lips, stopping at her neck. She was so beautiful.. So different than Kagome though they shared the same face (1). He thought he heard something.. Was he imagining it? Swishing.. That light drone that tickled the back of your mind.. Gatherers! That was it! He'd stop the leaking of souls and then they'd come give her new ones!

Inuyasha jumped at his bright idea and moved to the already opened first aid box. But then he stopped, frowning. Did you staunch wounds like hers the same you did those of regular people? His face fell as the lightbulb above his head shattered. He could try.. But he wasn't sure it would work anymore.. This wasn't his miracle plan.. This was a hope.. And a feeble one at that..

But if one doesn't have hope, what _does_ one have? So he took the roll of bandage cloth and went to her side again. "Don't wake up and try to kill me.." He said, looking down at her. The knife Komeru had used cut straight through her clothes, but Inuyasha would have to remove them to wrap her.

Gulping loudly, he moved the kimono from her shoulders and her back and her chest and let it rest at her waist. Her breasts were bound in cloth similar to what he held in his hand. He was relieved and disappointed at this customary binding as he lifted her easily to a sitting position.

It took longer than he had originally thought, but to his delight, the blue mist seemed to cease. He slipped the torn kimono back over her shoulders and lay her down. Would she be okay?

He picked up her hand and checked for a pulse and almost screamed when he didn't feel anything. Did she even have a pulse? The question calmed him immediately. If she didn't bleed, it made sense for her not to have a pulse. Of course. His breathing returned to almost normal length and density as he watched her. He noticed her chest was moving up and down as his was. He hadn't realized breathing would be necessary to her body.. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was just a parroting of something she did when she was alive. A habit she didn't break in want of being mortal..

He stroked her hair, watching her.

-_So this is love.. Mmm.. So this is love.. So this is what makes life divine_..-

Why wasn't she waking up? Was she dying? Would her soul gatherers come back?

As if on cue, one of the translucent demons passed through the wall and dropped a blue orb onto it's priestess. Inuyasha almost jumped up and down in relief as her body became more animate.

Kikyou was going to be okay!

Three or four more came, and disappeared, all dropping souls for her to absorb. She moved in her sleep, but didn't open her eyes. He watched, grinning. This was more than wonderful. He was shivering in ecstasy just watching her slowly come back to life.

And then she whispered. The sheer joy he was feeling was more than doubled as her lips moved to utter just his name. Nothing more. It could have been lost on the small movement of air made by his breathing, it was so faint, but he heard it.. And reveled in it.

-_I'm all aglow.. Mmm.. And now I know.. The key to all heaven is mine_.-

When the sound of her searches faded from even his ears, the unthinkable happened. She opened her eyes! She didn't stop to take in the room she'd been placed in, she didn't stop to check if anyone else was in the room... All she saw was him.. And all he saw was her.

It took less than a second for his arms to be around her back, holding her in a sitting position, and his lips melded with hers. It wasn't to be certain who lunged for who.. Maybe they both reached for each other in the same moment.. Both were acting like the leader.. And the follower. Their responses came in the first moment of their kiss, their mouths moving in perfect synch, everything _fitting_.

"Where is she..?" Kikyou broke the kiss, breathless, her hands raising to cup his face. She was panting again, He cursed out loud, again deprived of the only thing he found himself wanting in this heated moment.

"She's gone... Don't worry about her. She'll be back, but she's gone. She won't hurt you." He smiled crookedly, leaning into her again. She stopped him with an index finger pressed to his lips.

"Inuyasha." Her face wasn't two inches away from his, neither of them able to breath through their noses, their breath mixing in the air in front of them.

"Yes, Kikyou.. Anything, Kikyou.. Just kiss me.." When he reached to claim her mouth again, she lowered her hand. When he got the response he hoped for, he almost laughed out loud. This couldn't be real! Her mouth opened to his and they were lost in their rapture, in this feeling of bliss that they both knew was... Home.

**END**

* * *

Awwwww.. Don't you just want to pet that fluffiness? -faints- I love them together.. -dreamy sigh-

(1)I don't think Kagome and Kikyou look anything alike, but that's what they make it out to be in the manga and anime.. X.x Weird, yeah.. Kagome's more.. Cute and Kikyou is gorgeous.. XD

Did ya like it? -psst- I know what's happening next already, but I wanted to end here because.. -glances at sailor moon alarm clock- it's 4am and I need to go to bed! So goodnight! R&R!


	10. Life

I find it weird that a flamer with my name should call me a bastard.. Darling.. My parents happened to be legally wed more than a year before I was born, so stop being so.. Indecent. It's not at all endearing. And.. Was there one that told me to go to hell? -thinks- I don't think you know what hell is, amante.. Or you wouldn't send me there for writing about two imaginary characters when all you have to do is watch the show for yourself to see your precious Kagome win. Just to spite you morons, maybe I will kill off Kagome.. I was thinking this morning to have her be the only one still living at the end.. But now I'm thinking it'll be much better if she suffers a long and painful death.. Just to piss ya'll off. Aren't I nice? XDD 

Okay.. This might be a little more fluffy, but I'm not sure yet.. I don't really plan what's happening.. Like I said.. I have the skeleton and then I just go with the flow.. XP

Nope.. Still don't own nothing.. And I forgot to mention that there were a couple lines from the song "So this is Love." In my last chapter.. (you know.. That song from Cinderella) So yeah.. Thanks for not suing at that mishap.

And yes.. I do remember now that she bled there.. -thinks- So I was wrong.. -bites lip- Thank you for pointing that out.. But I find it too late to go back and change anything.. So let's just call it my original twist..

Okay.. R&R.. I don't appreciate flames.. Simply because they're ugly.. And being horribly Libra, I'm not fond of ugliness.. So don't keep them coming.. It's not very nice.. If you don't like Kikyou.. Don't read the story..

* * *

**Chapter 10: Life**

"Is it true?" She was finding it hard to move for more than one reason. There was no will, no motivation that had any chance of tearing her from his arms.. And even if there had been, she didn't possess enough energy at the moment to have done anything about it.

She was nestled in his embrace on the blanket, worried; where he was nearly asleep, this comfort lulling him to drowsiness. "Is what true?" He mumbled, his mouth very close to her ear.

"What the girl said. Is it true? Do you truly dream about me?" Kikyou in this body was seemingly unsusceptible to dreams. Or, at least, she couldn't ever remember feeling anything in her sleep or right after waking. She didn't really sleep, even.. It would be better named as resting.. For she was almost certain she never actually fell into subconsciousness though her eyes were closed. That wasn't the way she obtained energy any longer..

"I..." He paused, frowning. Of course he dreamed about her.. She haunted him before he even realized he was in love with her.. How could she not be present in his dreams? "I think so.." His eyes puckered in thought. "I don't think Kagome was exaggerating, if that's what you're asking."

Kikyou nodded, her face clear of emotion. Her collected demeanor had returned.. That wasn't something that could stay shattered for very long. Inuyasha set her at ease, and being placid was what she was raised to be. Who knew? Maybe she had a side to her that yearned to be set free. A side that danced in the rain and would peek to existence when nurtured. If she were to think about it, it would be Inuyasha that could nurture it.

But that side of her was gone.. From her, anyway. That side was now the girl everyone knew not as Kikyou's reincarnation anymore, but as Kagome. The girl that fell down a well and pushed her from Inuyasha's heart.. Or so she had thought. But if he really did cry out her name in his sleep.. She must still have been there. "And is she okay? You cut her.. And she was bleeding." No, the miko was not worried. Curious, not worried. She really couldn't care less what happened to Kagome.

"Kami.." Inuyasha whispered, eyes widening. Abruptly he sat up. What had Sango said? '_You hurt her hand really badly, Inuyasha._' He didn't listen to what else she had tried to explain. But that meant Kagome had told them what he did.. What if they hated him? What if they couldn't fix it right and he made it worse by carrying her out there? But no.. He had looked.. And there wasn't any blood soaking through her bandage.. So Sango must have stitched it. Hell, they had hours to do so. He wasn't even sure how long he had sat there, too gripped in his fear that his Kikyou was dead to get up.

Kikyou had anticipated that response from him. And now he would bound out of the hut, like he always did, without a glance back at her. Why wasn't the girl here now? The priestess hadn't witnessed the long while Inuyasha had stayed with her, or the pushing of Kagome.. And the later dumping of the said girl. She just woke up somewhere different with only him.. And then they kissed...

But now he would leave again to see if she was alright.. Wherever she was. That's just what it was, right? She sat up and watched him look frantically around the room, as if he'd find anyone else there. "Kikyou.." He whispered as she leaned forward and lay her head on his chest. "I don't know if she's alright.. I have to-"

"I know you do.." She cut him off. "We're caught in a web of betrayal and excuses, Inuyasha. I fear we'll never be able to become free. I know you have to see if she's well, because you love her." She sounded.. Blank. There wasn't anything held in her voice; and as he looked down at her face, he realized nothing was held in her eyes, either.

"No, Kikyou.." His hands moved to fondle her waist and he pulled her onto his lap in one swift motion. "I have to see if she's okay because it's my fault, not because I love her." This was true.. He was sure now. "I do love her.. But I'm not in love with her. I need to see her so that I can.. Make things right. It isn't fair, what I've done to her." He looked at the ground, small white ears laying back on his head.

But she was there, her lips and her tongue and her fingers expressing all that wasn't there in her face. And she told him without words that she didn't understand, that she could never understand.. But that finally, there was something not unlike trust in her heart for him.

He eased her backwards, laying her on the ground, his hands never leaving her touch and his mouth never leaving this embrace. This was new to both of them, who were so naive, so desperate to be grown-up that they had made themselves believe they _were_ grown up, who met each other and fell in love under the most unlikely and forbidden circumstances. This taste of something so opposite was contentment to them, his body gently on hers was all they both needed. But anything that starts must end, and the wound Inuyasha's guilt had stabbed into his heart began to become too much to bear. "I'll come back.. Be here." He was at the doorway in the next second, and she was wistfully loving his silhouette as he spoke the words she didn't want to hear.

"I'll be here." Her voice was still cold, still blank. Still so devoid of everything life was.. Everything he felt from her in her kisses and her fingertips. Did she do it purposely, or was this a part of what came when she was reborn? She could raise her voice in anger.. But was there ever really feeling in it? He gave her a crooked smile as he disappeared from her sight, running to the place he thought Kagome and the others would still be.

**END**

* * *

Hnn.. Yeah, it's short and meaningless.. But 10's a big number and I wanted it to be cute.. -

I would have made it longer.. But it's 3:10am and I'm uber-tired.. X.x.. My dad totally got a new computer so now I can update on weekends! XD So though I may not do it tomorrow.. I'll try to write Thursday night.. O.o

No, they did not "do it".. They were kissing.. This is still PG13.. There was no talk of them taking of clothes, or putting them back on.. There was no mention of the "down-town" parts at all.. So don't get hissy.. XPP


	11. Gone

It is.. -glances at hello kitty watch- currently 10:28 pm on Thursday, 7/29.. And I'm beginning to write chapter 11.. Of my littoh story here… But I'm not sure when I'll be able to like.. Actually upload it to the net… -faints- My dad got rid of muh trusty old computer for like a week.. Because he said I complained too much about how slow it is. So he gave it to some.. Computer friend of his to "clean" it.. And now it's totally.. Icky.. And I can barely get online.. So what I'll do is like… Write this now because I'm uberly-bored and then.. Save it on a floppy and upload it when I get back to my much more wonderful computer at my mom's house. 

Yesh.. Very wonderful to get the nice reviews.. -huggles reviewers- Read this chapter too.. And I do hope you like it..

R&R.. Pretty please.. xP

* * *

**Chapter 11: Gone**

He wasn't greeted very warmly, Sango scowling and Miroku looking confused. The small kitsune demon attempted to shield the still sleeping Kagome from Inuyasha as he sat down next to her.

"She's not awake. Leave her alone." Her voice was icy as she glowered upon the man that had so shamelessly hurt her friend. She felt like… She didn't even know him anymore… Bringing the miko in like that, disregarding any harm he may have caused Kagome.

"Why? What happened? Will she be okay?" He didn't look up, brushing locks of hair from the school girl's face as she lay there.. She was so serene… It was unsettling.

"Inuyasha… Kagome claims that you are the one that slashed open her hand." Miroku said slowly, weighing the words in his mind before letting any of them slip past his mouth.

"I.." Inuyasha's voice failed him. He knew he did it, he knew they knew he did it.. Would they ever forgive him? Would Kagome ever forgive him? "She tried to kill Kikyou and-"

"She lost two fingers." Sango's voice cut his reason in half, wavering but strong. "I had to bury them myself. There wasn't a way to save them. Your cut was too deep." The look on her face was almost triumphant.. As if the guilt she knew this would set on him made her happy.

Putting it that way was a little more twisted. Sango just wanted Inuyasha to feel for Kagome. The way he'd stormed in with Kikyou after hurting Kagome so badly for the miko's sake had made the exterminator's look upon the hanyou with a coldness she'd only felt when it was Naraku describing him.

Inuyasha glanced at Sango; sure she was pulling his leg. She couldn't be serious. He was silent as he reached to her bandaged hand and took it in his. The exterminator, for one, was inwardly shocked at this display of tenderness… She had thought… Inuyasha simply stopped loving Kagome. But as she watched him feel Kagome's hand, she realized just how stupid that thought was.

"I.. Don't know what to say." He took a deep breath as her hand pulled from his slowly and she turned in her sleep, murmuring incoherencies.

"Inuyasha… Where is Kikyou?" Miroku ventured tentatively.

"She's still at Kaede's hut. I told her I'd be back. Her wound is taken care of.. So I think it would be safe to take Kagome back." This wasn't the greatest of ideas, but it was better than just leaving Kagome outside forever. Grudgingly, Sango and Miroku agreed to take Kagome back, ignoring Shippous fountain of questions and pleas not to take Kagome where Kikyou was. Wouldn't that just cause Kagome more pain? Wouldn't this all work out for the worse?

Miroku got job of carrying her back, Sango walking close behind him, warning him constantly that if he tried anything "funny", he'd find himself in trouble.

Inuyasha was worried about Kagome, but more worried about Kikyou's reaction. Would she get up and leave like she always did when she saw he brought Kagome back? Was he able to express for her what was immortal to him? He couldn't help his steps from being a little faster than the other three. "Inuyasha.. Stop walking so fast. If you were carrying her, like you should be, Miroku could walk a little faster." Sango's voice was still sharp as she addressed him.

He ignored her, wanting to get there before the rest of them. It wouldn't be fair to just burst in on Kikyou like that.. She should know the rest of them were coming. "I'm going ahead." He muttered, not caring if they heard him or not.

The hut came into view and his pace quickened further. Was he crazy or was there a weird taste in his mouth as he reached out his hand to slide open the hanging door?

He didn't have time to speak. He knew she was gone before he had the chance to look around. She was gone. Why was she gone? She said she wouldn't leave… A sinking feeling tugged at the bottom of his stomach, threatening to pull him to the ground.

He didn't know how long he stayed like that; just standing in the doorway, searching the room over and over for any trace of her. But inevitably, the others caught up. "Inuyasha, what are you doing?" It was Shippou who, without the burden of Kagome's body or the responsibility of monitoring her chauffer, had made it back first. He pushed past Inuyasha's legs and stumbled into the room. "Where's Kikyou? I thought you said she would be here." The little boy walked into the room, looking around. "I don't see her."

"Inuyasha.. If you'd kindly move.." Miroku's nearly breathless voice as he stopped behind the hanyou, Sango's arms crossed over her chest testily as she awaited entrance.

"She's gone.." Was all he could say as he walked in after Shippou, standing before the blanket she'd been sitting on when he left.

"Well I can't say I'm really surprised. She never stays very long, does she?" Sango sneered as she sat next to Kagome after Miroku put her down.

"Who?" It was soft, but all in the room heard it. Kagome's eyes had fluttered open and she was trying to sit up.

"Kagome!" Sango leaned forward to help her, "Are you okay?" Her hands were quick, and the wall and a couple of pillows soon propped up Kagome.

"Um.. Yeah.. Just a little drowsy." She said, rubbing her eyes before looking around. "Who never stays long?" She seemed to have forgotten what had happened earlier.

An uneasy silence hung over the room as the sleep Kagome looked around. "Inuyasha.." Surprised to see him, Kagome smiled. She blinked a couple times when no one said anything, looking around again. "What's the matter?" When Sango averted her gaze, Kagome raised her hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. Then it all came back to her. The following, the kissing, more kissing.. Possession.. Betrayal.. Wounds, pain… It all hit her memory like a pound of bricks, and her smile dropped. The bandaged hand moved slowly from her head to where her eyes could study it -about a foot from her face. "What happened?" She knew what happened… But why did her hand feel so.. Different? "What's wrong with it? Hello.. Sango? Miroku? Answer me.." They were still quiet.

"Kagome.." Sango finally spoke as Shippou nestled into the school girl's chest. "Your hand was hurt so badly that I… There were two fingers that were… I had to… Remove them." There weren't any words that could make that confession easier (1).

"What?" Frown deeply creasing her brow, Kagome looked down at her hand again. "But this is where Inuyasha.." She trailed off, confused. "Fingers?" Is that why her hand felt so.. Naked? That couldn't be.. "Inuyasha… I am.." But she trailed off as he grunted and walked out.

"Where are you going now?" Sango called after him, leaning back to watch his descent. But there was no answer.

"You were talking about Kikyou, weren't you? She was here.." Kagome smiled lightly, failing in her attempts to notice the wrenching of her heart as it leapt to her throat.

Sango and Miroku took yet another nervous glance at each other. "Yes.. She was here. I think she and Inuyasha.." Miroku stopped himself as Sango's eyes turned to slits. "Well.. What I meant was.. Since he rushed off.." And stopped again.

"They were kissing…" Kagome looked at the ground, remembering the scene. "Sango.. We need to follow him." So he loved Kikyou… She'd always known that! Did that give her any reason to give up?

**END**

* * *

Ahh.. That Kagome.. She's all singing "I will survive.. Ooooh as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive.." Haha.. -feels stupid-

(1)I think at that time.. Inuyasha came on TV.. That one about Midoriko.. o.O Yeah… Just thought I'd throw that in there..

-glances at watch again- Okay.. It's now 1:21am on Friday, 7/30.. That took me soooo long.. I have the worst tendency of starting an RP and totally forgetting about muh writing.. xPP But I think that I'll be able to upload it.. Yay!


	12. Attack

How long has it been? Like 2 weeks, neh? I'm sorry.. I've been under fatal attacks of writer's-block.. And just wasn't up to writing. 

Okay.. So what was happening? Hold on.. I'll need to read chapter 11 over again.

……..

Okay! So.. I guess I kind of know what' will happen.. xP.. But ya'll won't till I write.. So here I go..

No ownership to date!

* * *

**Chapter 12: Attack**

He didn't really know where he was going, other than in her direction. There had to be something wrong, that had to be it. She said she'd be there. She wouldn't just leave! Not after… Inuyasha shuddered as three-syllables passed through his mind. "Komeru.." The name could have been written in blood red letters on the air in his expression.

He _took_ her! That had to be it! Inuyasha could swear the blood in his head was boiling as it pumped against his temples, threatening to explode.

Inuyasha stopped, his hand groping for the hilt of his sword. But it wasn't there. His eyes widened in panic, where did it go? A picture of it lying helplessly on the ground flashed in his brain. How had he forgotten it!

Kikyou had been a little more important than his sword.. A little, no. Not a little. A lot more important than his sword.

The bastard! Where did he take her? Where was she? The hanyou didn't start walking again as he turned his head skywards, trying for any scent of the Naraku incarnation or his lost miko.

Faint recognition on the wind marked his direction, and he set off running.

- - -

She woke up, her vision blurry, not knowing where she was. There was a prickling sensation in her arm and when her gaze fell to it for further inspection, blood was seeping from a cut clear through her clothes. Her eyes cleared and she looked about her, finding her attacker balancing precariously on a branch above her head, looking down at her.

When that familiar yet alien pair of eyes met hers, he smirked and jumped down to kneel in front of her. "Ah, my love… You're awake. I'm sorry my blade scratched you a bit. Afraid you put up too much of a fight." He held up his sword, a cheap sham of Inuyasha's, just as everything about him was.

"Do not speak to me. You are nothing but a shell, a shell possessing a meager breath of life from a despicable half-demon." She looked away from him. There was no tearing her eyes away from his steady gaze, for there was nothing in the said gaze. It was blank, empty.. There was none of the love he claimed to have for her.

"Ah.." He rose a hand to cup her chin, snickering when she pulled away. "But you and I, are the same." His eyes glinted in an evil Inuyasha could never hold. "Aren't you also a shell? Doesn't your soul stay rooted because of Inuyasha's life? His very existence?" He laughed when her eyes narrowed. "You see, Kikyou? We are meant to be. They are living, we are not. Naraku constructed me for your pleasure alone. Inuyasha need not be in the picture at all..." He tried to incorporate warmth into his smile. "Komeru and Kikyou, conquering the world." He gave a wistful sigh as he looked to the heavens, but looked slightly crestfallen as she kept her head turned from him, her mind closed to him. "Okay.. How about Kikyou and Komeru? Is that better?" His bottom lip jutted out when she still did not speak. "Well, this will have to come a little later, for you are in dire need of medical assistance and I think you're hanyou is on the way here.." He paused. "You'll make him leave, or he'll die. I don't care how you get him to leave, but you will. You'll tell him I'm not here or he'll die. Remember, my darling.. He's weaponless and vulnerable. It will be easy.." This he spoke so close to her ear it made her shiver. Soundlessly, he jumped back into the tree, and into the next and the next, getting downwind of the man he knew was coming towards them.

Kikyou hadn't had time to spit in his face before he disappeared. Damn him… She would have yelled something, but that's when Inuyasha emerged from the shrubbery. He was quite a ways to her right, but it wasn't necessary for him to look around for even a fleeting moment for him to find his way kneeling in front of her as Komeru had been doing not a minute ago.

The first thing he did was put his arms around her and bring her face to his in another of those life-giving kisses. It was relief they expressed this time.. His relief in finding her alive and her relief he hadn't brought the girl with him.

He pulled away from her when he felt the thick red liquid on his hand. She was bleeding? "Kikyou…" He was horrified, the leak wasn't dangerous, but it had stained the upper arm of her sleeve and the flow wasn't thinning.

"It doesn't hurt.." She whispered, breathless.

"Where is he?" He didn't know why he was whispering, maybe not to corrupt the atmosphere with loud tones, maybe because he was so angry.

"He left." She was going to say he was in a tree above, she was. She had told herself she would give him away until Inuyasha came. Somehow, she saw that his vulnerability was too much. It was given away in his eyes and the empty sheath at his side. He'd die if he went against Komeru.

"Where..?" He looked all around, and when he was going to search the canopy above him, Kikyou grabbed his chin. He needed to leave, or he would be killed. He couldn't die, not now. Not because he'd broken his own barrier for her. Not at the hands of a shameless mockery of himself. No, he wouldn't make that journey today.

"You need to leave, too." She said coldly, locking inside herself, everything leaving her eyes as she looked emotionlessly at him.

His gaze dropped to hers and he frowned. "Not without you.." His voice was unsure, confused at her words.

"No. You're leaving me here. You're going back to Kagome."

"Kikyou! You can't see yet? You can't see that it's you?" He took her hand in his and pulled her into him, attempting again to kiss her. But this time she pushed him away.

"Take your hands off of me. I told you to leave. I don't want you here." It was killing her, but it was also easy.. If it was to save his life, anything could be easy.

The small ears she had always admired so much pressed back to his head slightly as he pulled away from her, eyes wide with… Was it fear she saw in his features? "What… Why?" His mouth turned upwards in an oddly bewildered smile as he looked at her, as if he were hoping this was a joke.. As if he was ready to laugh and hug her again when she told him she was kidding. But this was Kikyou.. Kikyou didn't play around like this. He felt his throat close and an acrid taste reigned his mouth.

"Because I hate you. I have to tell you too many times that I want only your death. And in this position, I am not ready to send you to Hell, so you will cherish the day I've given you and leave."

"You.." He trailed off, hands paused in the air, all but his vocal cords and face freezing. "No you don't…" He gaped at her, not understanding, wanting to just rid himself of this breaking feeling by having her kiss him again. What was happening? How had he been floating one second and… This the next? His heart seemingly stopped, his blood ran cold. He didn't understand.

"Don't tell me what I feel, demon." Her eyes narrowed as she turned her legs away from him, closing herself to the pain emanating from him. "You're not even a demon. You're a measly half demon masquerading as some all-powerful, righteous man." She mentally painted her voice with ice, trying to make him leave.

"Kikyou…"

"Don't dare say my name!" She cried, face glazing over with indifference again.

"Then why.. Why have you teased me like this? You're lying. What is the matter, why can you kiss me one minute and push me away the next?"

She could have cried.. "You kissed me, Inuyasha. It was you, not me."

"But you.. In the hut.."

"You're imagining things. I simply sat there, trying to bide my time while you practically raped me, trying to stay calm so I could get away. Pity I didn't have my bow or my job would be done and I could go in peace, giving your precious lover the rest of her soul back."

"Kagome?" He was feeling denial. He must be dreaming, this whole day had felt like a dream, anyway. When he woke up this morning, he must have just gone back to sleep and was still dreaming.. He didn't chase after the collectors, that was a dream, too.

"Yes, Kagome. The fool who came to this time and helped bring me back to a life I always wanted to escape from.. Brought me back to a traitorous half demon who I never wanted to see again."

Inuyasha was crying. No, tears weren't falling from his eyes, but they were building, and his stomach was heaving and his legs were shaking. He didn't say anything, he reached out and put his arms around her, bringing her body to his, ignoring the fists she attempted to ward him off with. "Kikyou…" The whisper was barely audible but it froze her. He loved her, and she was killing him inside.

_'It hurts me too, Inuyasha. It's tearing this fake body apart to lie to you and to see your face so twisted. I'm sorry..'_

But she didn't speak; she melted. Until her thoughts reverted to Komeru, watching from above. '_No…_' And she mustered enough strength to heave Inuyasha off of her.

He landed about a foot or two away from her, on his butt, hands palm-down on the ground, his eyes also on the dirt below him. "Okay." The tears spilled now and landed soundlessly on the red fabric after running down his neckline. He didn't look at her as he picked himself up brokenly from the ground and stood from her. His energy was directed away, his eyes still on the ground. He opened his mouth to say something but turned and walked away instead.

- - -

"What a good girl.. You must really love him." Komeru cooed when Inuyasha was out of sight.

Kikyou turned to him dejectedly. "What do you want?" She asked, her voice low.

"I just want to be loved as much as he is.. Isn't that a fair request? I am the same…" He smirked.

"You are not the same." She muttered.

"Oh? Well I'll be just as good as the original once he's dead." His eyes glittered maliciously as her head snapped to his. "Ah.. I hoped you'd react to that."

"You said you wouldn't kill him if he left." She said, her voice dull.

"Nah ah… You see, my love.. I told you he'd die if he stayed. I didn't say I wouldn't go after him."

"Don't." Her voice grew a few notches in volume and force.

"Kiss me." He grinned. "Don't you think that will stall me a little?"

"Never." She muttered, almost rolling her eyes in the stupidity of the request.

"Oh, really? Well then, maybe I'll find something better to do." He stood up and unsheathed his sword, "Oooh Inuyasha… He couldn't have gone far." He sang to himself, turning away.

Kikyou was standing, leaving a stain of blood on the grass below. Even the bloody hand had been raised to the fake Inuyasha's face in that painful kiss she met him with.

"I knew you'd see things my way.." He grinned as he pulled away and roughly pushed her against the tree she'd been sitting against, devouring her lips with his equally cold ones.

It was unnatural.. It was stinging, and he was rough… Not with passion, but with a lust for anything that belonged to someone else. His hands were too forward and his mouth was dry, lacking the warm, shy wetness and indescribable taste that was omnipresent with Inuyasha.

His fingers weren't caressing her hair or supporting her back, but trying to untie the sash at her waist. '_He'll stay alive. He'll stay alive…_' She repeated again and again. But then she heard.

"I see now." At the words spoken, Komeru's mouth smashed against hers broke into a grin, omitting an amused chuckle. Kikyou's eyes flicked open and he was there. Inuyasha was standing, his fists clenched and his face hard.

_'No…_'

**END**

* * *

I wanted to write more.. But it's 2:03 am and I'm really tired.. Caffeine crash.. x.x

I know it's kind of cliché.. But it came automatically.. I swear I haven't thought this through.. I was going to have Inuyasha find his sword (which I cant spell the name of.. if anyone could tell me, that would be great) and kill Komeru in this chapter.. But it turned out like that -points to chapter- I'm sorreh if ya'll don't like it… x.x

R&R Puhleese.. But I don't want to hear anything about Kikyou being a slut or a garden tool or anything.. Because she ISN'T. Understand that, mofos.. She luffs inu and wants to protect him.. xPP


	13. Confusion

Haha.. I left that at a cliffhanger then got totally sucked into writing my Anju story (which I think you all should read.. Especially if you've played Majora's Mask.. XDD). So I'm sorry.. I'm writing now.. But I have to go to bed soon.. So I don't know if I'll be able to finish it.. If not up tonight, this chapter'll be up by like.. Tuesday or Wednesday.. 

-thinks- Okay.. I really wish the flames would stop. They're just.. Sad, you know? I mean like.. They're totally inarticulate and illiterately written and just ugly.. It's just ugly.. Why do you flamers want to be ugly? It's not cool to be ugly.. I'm shallow.. And I don't like your ugly flames around.. So please stop and I'll stop using the word ugly.. xP Besides, I don't get it. Why do you hate my story so much? Do you really expect me to totally follow the line of the actual show? What fun is that? Yeah yeah.. Like I'm really going to make Inu fall in love with Kagome and like.. Have a nice time. Why? What's the point? All you have to do is go TURN ON THE TV.. Damn.. Leave me alone already.. -rolls eyes-..

Okay.. Let'sa go! (Mario.. XDDD)

R&R/nice/ people..

* * *

** Chapter 13: Confusion**

"Oh.. Is the puppy surprised? Has it really been so hard for you to figure out that Kikyou was with me? It only makes sense, doesn't it?" Komeru put his arm around Kikyou's waist and pulled her to his side, grinning from ear to ear as Inuyasha looked helplessly at them.

_Why? Why did he have to come back?'_ Her mind screamed at her, detesting the touch and smell and presence of this hateful demon.

"Get your hands off of her." Inuyasha's voice was dark, low; barely more than a growl.

"Why ever would I do that? Does she look uncomfortable?" He shot a glance at Kikyou. She knew what he was doing. If she tried to get away.. He'd kill Inuyasha.

"Get your hands off of Kikyou.." He repeated. She avoided the both gazes she felt boring into her. "Kikyou.." His voice had only softened a little. He was angry... And he was afraid. Why did he have to come back?

"Don't talk to her, Inuyasha. She hates you, remember?" Komeru purred, playing with a couple locks of her hair, teasing the other hanyou.

"Kikyou.. Why?" He ignored Komeru. He ignored the hand on her waist, the hand in her hair, the smile and the malicious-ness.

"She's sick of it Inuyasha. She grew tired of you. You and that Kagome." He said simply. "And she came running when she saw me. I'm the next best thing.. But better. Because now that I have her, I don't care for the girl. Where you... Every time have run into her arms. Or turn to protect her. You've abandoned my miko too many times and it hurt her too much. Didn't it, Kikyou?" The impossibly huge grin grew even larger in size and malevolence.

Inuyasha took a step forward as she looked up at him, ghost of a smile daring to attempt expression. She'd say no.. And he'd save her and everything would be okay. She didn't look _comfortable_.. She couldn't! Not after.. Not after... Right? He was right, wasn't he?

That hope shattered and plunged to the ground with his heart as she looked up at Komeru and nodded. "You're lying!" He shouted it. It was the only thing that he could think to say. They were the only words that were present in his mind.. It was the only possibility clinging to his sanity, pervading through his mind to keep him whole.. To keep him from falling to the ground with the said hope.

"No she's not. You love me, don't you Kikyou?" His eyes were on fire with the amusement he was getting from this. It was just too fun. He really hadn't expected the miko to care so much for Inuyasha. He could feel the desperation emanating from her.. She didn't want to be here.. She wanted to be in the hanyou's arms.. Alone. Without him. It was all too droll!

Inuyasha's jaw went slack as she nodded again, but there wasn't anything even moderately controlled he could have done in reaction to Komeru's next action.

"Of course you do. Tell Inuyasha to go away, my love.. And we can be here alone.. Just you and me, Kikyou.." His hands cupped her face and his mouth lowered to hers in a very random, mocking, heart-breaking kiss.

She didn't have time to think about pretending to like it.. She didn't have time to think before they were parted, Komeru landing on his back with a loud thump and her swaying to regain her balance.

"I told you not to touch her!" Inuyasha's heart was pounding, body twitching with fury. Kikyou was lying! Kikyou was LYING! And if she wasn't -which wasn't possible- he would have stopped it anyway. Nobody kissed her in front of him. Nobody touched her in front of him. Nobody touched her _anytime_ BUT him!

It didn't take long for Komeru to get up and pull out his sword, testing it on the air as he laughed. "You're stupid, Inuyasha. You'll lose your life now for a woman that doesn't love you."

"No I won't." Inuyasha groped for his sword and froze when he remembered it was gone. No.. Kikyou's eyes widened as she came to her wits and realized what happened. Inuyasha! Why was he so stupid!

She sank to her knees as Inuyasha took a step forward, readying his claws as Komeru laughed again.

"Why did you come back, Inuyasha?" She said aloud, surprised the volume of her voice had sent both pairs of eyes to her. "Why? Why do you want to die? Why do you persist in pursuing something that simply cannot happen?" She could have cried, but not really. She was almost mad at him. Mad for being so stupid. It didn't matter anymore what happened to her. She realized that now. What was she? Some fake body; nearly a corpse. And he was Inuyasha: full of life and power and such potential to do good.. Without her. She was in his way! The trouble she caused! So what if she died! It didn't _matter_ anymore! So why did he have to be so _stupid_!

Inuyasha turned to her, his back facing Komeru as the green-clad demon watched. "It will happen." He said simply, his anger towards her melting. She was lying.. She was lying. It didn't matter why she was lying or how much it had hurt.. It was all better now. She had been lying. "It'll happen because I love you."

She felt like screaming at him. Pointing out to him just how stupid he really was.

But she didn't.

Her eyes rose only to see a sword being thrust dangerously close to his back. She would have called out, but she was too late. She would have jumped in front of her hanyou, but it was too late. Komeru had taken Inuyasha's vulnerability and swung at him.. And now it was too late for her to do anything.

**END**

* * *

Oh no! Is Inu dead? -pokes imagination- tell me! Is he dead? -gets worried- That's so sad.. I don't want Inu to die..

I would write more, really I would.. But I have to go to bed.. So instead of a long chapter.. I'll write another short one tomorrow. I promise I'll try!

Try not to get too mad.. He could still be alive.. I think.. O.O -crosses fingers-

Night!


	14. Savior

Okay.. I would have written yesterday (Saturday) but I had no reviews and totally wasn't motivated to spend my tiny computer hour writing.. Hehe.. I told ya'll.. I'm lazy.. 

-shrug- I wanted feedback, anyway.. So I got it and here I go!

-shows no ownership card- See? -nods- I forgot that last time.. Hehe Oh yes! I may use another song from Miss Saigon.. Which is very possibly one of the best musicals /ever/.. xD Or maybe that will be in the next chapter.. I don't know yet.. But it will be.. The song's called umm.. Last Night of the World.. Yeah.. -nods-

Okay.. Enjoy! R&R puleese!

* * *

**Chapter 14: Savior**

It wasn't too late for the arrow swathed in a pinkish glow to deflect the sword's blow from Inuyasha to ring loudly on the tree directly next to him. The arrow ricocheted off the metal, lost it's light and fell harmlessly to the ground at Komeru's feet.

"That's hardly fair.." He pouted as he looked over to see Kagome, readying another arrow, aiming at his body rather than his weapon this time.  
"Get away from them." Kagome said, narrowing her eyes.. She was _pretty_ sure she'd hit him if she shot again. The lack of those fingers made it a little harder, but she had hit his sword alright. She would have grinned in that small victory against both her injury and her enemy, but there wasn't time... And it wasn't wholly appropriate.

Inuyasha, in the meantime, had only been aware of the threat to his life after he was saved. He stood up quickly in front of the miko still kneeling on the ground. His eyes fell to the arrow and then to Kagome. She saved his life.. And Komeru was looking at her now.  
Kikyou hadn't realized she was holding her breath until it all came out in a huge rush, deflating her considerably with relief and newfound worry. Oh no.. Kagome was here.. That couldn't be good..

Kagome could have sworn her heart skipped a beat as she saw the sword raise to Inuyasha those moments ago. In said moment she had forgotten all else that had happened that day and rushed to defend him. It was only natural.. She loved the man.. Or, rather.. Half man.

Komeru took a few steps back, grinning oddly at Kagome and the tip of her arrow. "Calm down, love. I wasn't going to _hurt_ him.." The grin turned to a victimized pout. "Especially not when it's nearly ten to one.." He added darkly. If he couldn't kill Inuyasha, he'd break him instead. Killing Kikyou could come later.. That is, if she didn't see things his way and go back to Naraku with him. He'd get rid of Kagome first. Yes.

Being as Inuyasha was still somewhat unable to do anything, Komeru charged at Kagome.

His efforts were knocked back by her second arrow... And he fell to the ground, the shaft stuck in his shoulder. Inuyasha looked incredulously at Kagome, who was wide-eyed. She had meant to hit his chest.. That's how off she was.. Dangerously off.. He was still alive.. He could get up and try to kill Inuyasha again in no time.. But she took his down time to glance at Inuyasha, who was turned to Kikyou, the miko staring straight at her.. Maybe she was hurt again.. She didn't seem to be moving at all..

"Kagome, darling.. You've got to be a little more careful.. You could hurt somebody.." He fell against the tree as she shot at him again, but missed. '_No.._' she only had an arrow left.. And Inuyasha wasn't doing anything!

But he should.. As the third arrow was shot, Inuyasha brandished his claws and took a swipe at Komeru. "Bastard!" He yelled as the other hanyou dodged him, snickering.

Crinkling his nose in discomfort, Komeru pulled the arrow from his shoulder, throwing it aside. "Inuyasha.. You'll die in front of two now. They'll both witness. Do you really want them to see this? Shouldn't we take this.. Away?"

Kikyou's eyes widened. No! He'd die without her help! He didn't have his tetsuaisuga (sp?)!

"I don't barter with trash!" Inuyasha yelled, lunging at him again. Komeru took another leap backwards, away from the scene, and Inuyasha followed. Kagome took this chance to lower her bow and run to Kikyou's side.

"What happened? Are you okay? Where's Inuyasha's sword?" She asked, her bandaged hand moving self-consciously behind her back as the unmarred one shook Kikyou's shoulder.

Kikyou looked up at her, ignoring her questions. "Give me your bow." She declared sternly, holding her hand out.

"What? No!" Kagome was confused. Why? This was all she had! Furthermore, there weren't any arrows left.

Kikyou glared and pushed Kagome lightly, grabbing the arrow and getting up, grabbing an arrow off the ground that Kagome had already shot. Before Kagome could react, Kikyou was chasing after the two identical hanyous. "Kikyou!" She called, getting up confusedly and also following.

- - -

"Inuyasha. I don't see why you're so mad about this." Komeru teased, grinning as he hopped to and fro, dodging swipes from Inuyasha. "Can't you just leave with Kagome? It would be so much _easier_."

"Shut up! I told you I don't barter with bastards like you!" He lunged again, and missed. "Dammit." He muttered as Komeru laughed from his latest perch on a tree branch far above Inuyasha's head.

"They're coming. We should keep moving. Unless you want them hurt." He said simply, eyebrows raising with his question in what _would_ be innocence had he not been.. Himself.

- - -

"Kikyou! Come back!" Kagome shouted, the other priestess having been lost from her vision. She stopped, out of breath. Wait.. Why was she chasing Kikyou?  
Because she could die.  
Why did Kagome care? .  
Why did she care? Kagome couldn't place it. Not yet, anyway. But she did care. If Kikyou died... WHY did she care so much? Her eyes roamed around and caught something glitter.. Curiosity caught, she went and picked up the metal thing. It was Inuyasha's sword! Thank Kami!

- - -

Kikyou was deaf to Kagome. Inuyasha couldn't die. He couldn't. He simply wasn't allowed to. Not now, not yet. Not now.. Not after.  
Her thoughts were a blur as she ran. She knew where they were, she knew how to follow them. And she would. She would save him. She would kill the half demon and save Inuyasha.

Or die trying.

--**_Our lives will change when tomorrow comes.._ **--

_"What the hell happened here?"_

_"Demons, I'll bet. If they're not fighting us, they're fighting each other. Dirty things, they are."_

_"But this.. There's only one demon."_

_"No it's not. He's not even a demon. He looks.. Like a damned half-breed."_

_"You're right... Those things cause even more trouble."_

_"Yeah. Good thing he's dead... What about the woman? Doesn't she look like a priestess?"_

_"She's got all the right clothes. But she's cold as ice."_

_"The bastard killed a priestess!"_

_"Then why is he dead, too?"_

_"Maybe they both died in the struggle...?"_

_"But that wouldn't explain her holding the dagger in her chest."_

"You think she fell on top of him on purpose?"

_"You mean like a lover's suicide?"_

_"Maybe... But a priestess couldn't love a demon. Not even a half-demon... Right?"_

_"There was that legend, you remember?"_

_"That half-ass story? The shifter and the lovers? Baka, that's a children's fable."_

_"But look at them.. In death, his eyes are turned to her."_

_"It's disgusting to think that a priestess as herself would-"_

_"Boss! There's another girl over here! She's breathing!"_

_"Really? Is she hurt? What the hell is she wearing?"_

_"Who cares. Bring her back. We'll ask the village elder..."_

_"Gently, you oaf! Don't damage her. Look at her shirt, it's all stained with blood!"_

_"Shut up, I'm trying."_

_"What do we do with these two?"_

_"I don't know."_

_"Surely the priestess's body should be taken care of, but.. Does a dirty hanyou deserve a funeral..?"_

_"Maybe we should ask the girl..."_


	15. Immortal

Did I scare yawh? Did you think they were dead? -looks around- What did you think? Do you think I tricked yawh? Hehehe.. I only know that.. You'll only know by reading /this/ chapter.. XDDD 

No ownership.. Nope nope nope.

Enjoy! **This WILL BE THE LAST CHAPTER**! I'm hoping it'll be super long, too. Warning.. No more of this. I'll go finish my Teen Titans one and my Zelda one.. Or start new ones.. -shrug- If you like Teen Titans.. Go read mine! After you finish this, of course.. xP!  
R&R, I want to know how my first completed fic was!

* * *

**Chapter 15: Immortal**

_I ask myself if any of it was right. If it's okay. If they're okay.. I don't know. I don't see them anymore. And it hurts. It hurts because it wasn't fair._

_I asked myself why I wanted Kikyou alive. She was in the way, right? So why did I care if she died? I never had the answer..._

_- - - _

"Miss? Are you okay? You, apparently, were part of quite a battle."

Kagome sat up and her hand immediately flew to the back of her head. It wasn't torn open or anything, but there was a bump. A big bump. Dammit.. She must have hit it on a rock or something. "Umm.." She looked around to see she was surrounded by strangers.

A woman with a rather full stomach -Kagome presumed her to be pregnant- was kneeling two or three feet away from her, looking rather worried. "Yeah.. I think I'm fine, thank you." Kagome's eyes traveled farther to find two men; an old one holding a clay bottle of water and a younger one frowning. When she looked down at herself, she saw she was in a simple blue kimono.

Wait.. Where was she? The question voiced itself out loud, from her own mouth.. Though she didn't remember telling herself to ask it. There were two of her right now.. One sitting there in the room and one scouring her memory for what had happened.

The lady leaned forward after a word of comfort and put her hand on Kagome's forehead. The girl's eyes were distant.. Surely she was reliving whatever had happened. "You're in the Village Hana.. My husband and another couple of men found you at the site of.." The lady trailed off, lowering her eyes.

"We mean to talk to you of the bodies we found. One is a priestess but she seems to be made not of flesh but of.. We don't know. The other body was that of a man.. But not a man. He had ears like a dog and-"

"Ori, that's enough!" The lady interrupted, frowning deeper when the mention of the dog ears brought a horrid recognition to the girl's face.

"Mariko..." He looked crestfallen as he lowered his head and apologized.

"No.. I'm sorry..." Kagome whimpered, fears confirmed. When you say bodies you mean..." She trailed off.

The lady -Mariko- took Kagome's hand and squeezed it gently. "They were dead. We're sorry. Did you know them well? Can you tell us what happened...?"

Dead. He was dead. They were dead. It hadn't been some horrible nightmare. It was real. Real. Inuyasha was dead. But she hadn't needed that verification... She knew. She saw, didn't she? Yes she did. Saw it happen didn't she? She even played a part in it, didn't she? Yes. And it was terrible. It was horrible. And it was awakening full blast in her mind's eye. And that wasn't at all peachy, either.

Kikyou had arrived. Inuyasha wasn't dead. He wasn't scratched yet. He was on the defensive, Komeru on the offensive. He hadn't gotten any blows in, but neither had his enemy. That was good, so far. Now with her help, they'd get away. They'd leave and never speak of this horrid little village again. Jewel or no jewel, Naraku or no Naraku. Kagome or no Kagome.

The arrow aimed true and pinned Komeru with a scream to a tree. In a pose so reminiscent, Inuyasha stopped and stared. That must have been what he looked like, pitiful there, pinned to a tree. A tree. To pin his power. An arrow. From the one he loved.

It was different this time. That wasn't him. Kikyou wasn't attacking him. Kikyou was on his side. And it was to Kikyou he turned, to Kikyou he fell into. Or maybe she fell into him. They were in each other's arms, and that was it. Komeru was moving, but they weren't paying attention.

"I'll..." the evil hanyou struggled with his words as he struggled to free himself. "Kill you and your bitch, Inuyasha!"

"Shut up!" Inuyasha roared, attention turned to Komeru now, eyes slits as he advanced on the rather helpless demon.

"Inuyasha!" He stopped when he heard his name, ears pivoting towards the noise he knew came from the girl. When his head moved and his eyes flicked to her form, he saw it accompanied by his sword! The tetsuaisaga! (sp) (1) She found it! Where did she find it? That didn't matter! He could win now! He _would_ win now!

As the rusty old blade was reunited with his hands, the familiar power surged through it and it became something wholly different. It became the majestic savior they all knew so well. And now Komeru would taste it; it's wrath and it's coldness directed only towards him that was birthed from this hatred his own actions had spurned Inuyasha to feel. Komeru was going to die.

And yet he held the cocky facade. What difference did it make if he died? None. It's not as if they'd beat Naraku if he was dead... And it wasn't as if Komeru himself had run out of cards up his sleeve. So he sat still, eyebrows raised in a condescending state of mockery in this supposed last minute or so of his life.

"It's over." Inuyasha growled, taking his time to attack. No, it wasn't merciful to relish a death, but Inuyasha liked the look of that man pinned to the tree. Ironically beautiful, the hanyou so identical to himself was so... Inspiringly lovely. Because it wasn't him, but it was. It could be that part of him that didn't want to trust; he could symbolize the death of his need for revenge and Inuyasha could start over. Or continue. He could do _whatever_ he _wanted_. He loved Kikyou! And she loved him! And that was _all_ that mattered!  
Kagome didn't, really. He loved her, but she didn't fit in here. She was an unnatural, alien component to this world. He loved her, but she didn't belong. He'd apologize to her and explain things and then they'd leave. Kagome would go back to her own time.. She was safer there. He'd make sure she was safe and then take Kikyou away. If they happened upon the rest of the shikon no tama.. It would only better their situation. Then he could become human and they could be part in a marriage ceremony and nights alone would be long and tender and wonderful and eventually there would be children and...

And then was the fatal blow. Inuyasha shouldn't have let his guard down with the feel of his sword and the fluttering of his heart over his joyous fantasies. Inuyasha shouldn't have waited so long to strike. Not because it wasn't merciful or compassionate, but because it was foolish. Clean and quick would have been better. Anything would have been better.

- -

How had the arrow disintegrated? Kagome didn't know, Kikyou didn't have time to ponder it and Inuyasha couldn't notice. Because he was on the ground - dying.

How had Komeru managed to get his sword in a right position to strike so hard in that mere moment? Kagome didn't want to think about it now. It had happened.

"Inuyasha, you poor, poor fool." The voice still airy in it's taunt teased him as his life slipped away. Both Kikyou and Kagome were frozen in shock as Komeru stood over their Inuyasha. "You've gone and gotten yourself killed, haven't you?" A snicker. "I'll leave you the sword in your chest for now, but I'll be back." He looked up and winked at Kagome. "You can't heal from that wound... Just as souls instead of blood leaked from Kikyou, your powers have no effect on that side of my blade. I'm sorry I forgot to mention it.. Eternal double, it's called. One side cuts just like your sword, darling Inuyasha; but the other inflicts lasting damage. _Eternal_ damage. You'll die now, and I'll leave."

And with that climax, he did leave. He bounded away and shortly there were two screams of one name.

"Inuyasha.. Don't die." Kagome's voice was wavering as she stared searchingly at him, tears spilling of their own accord down her face. She didn't move; she couldn't move. "You can't die, Inuyasha. Please, please please.." The sentiment was repeated over and over as Inuyasha's eyes moved slowly to the feet approaching him. The slipper-clad feet of Kikyou.

"What are you doing?" Kagome screamed as Kikyou's hands grasped the hilt of the sword protruding from the man that would be her lover, the hanyou who's destiny had been cut short. The demon that somewhere in her existence, she'd imagined to have married; some place in her heart held the same fanciful aspirations he was daring to hope for just a moment ago.

A small cry was omitted from him as she pulled the blade out, and blood was running freely.

"Kikyou! Stop!" Kagome's voice was already hoarse as she tried to move forward but fell to her knees instead.

"Inuyasha." In the pain ripping through her being, her voice remained cold, her face emotionless. But Kikyou knew. She knew this world was nothing without him. She knew she was real, in this sham body, she was actual manifestation of soul and heart. Because she felt. She was weakened by the torrential spasms rocking through her senses, pounding at every fiber of every inch of the heart that wasn't and the body that shouldn't have been. There were tears gracing her cheeks as she slowly kneeled next to him, as her hand gently turned his head towards her. "Inuyasha.." She whispered again, one hand stroking his jaw line as the other pressed lightly on his chest for the support needed to lean forward and not fall over in the frailty of her figure.

Both pairs of lips were cold as they met, and both pairs of eyes closed in the same moment. For the hand on his face had moved swiftly away, and was in support of a whole new action. It had been effortless to push the thing through her as her face had lowered to his. Effortless.

It was both blood and the airy blue light that escaped her form; the red substance gushing to intertwine with that of the love of her life, the blue lights rushing towards the girl who had fainted on the ground.

And then.. They were found.

And then Kagome had woken up, only to be greeted by the pictures all over again.

_--How in the light of one night have we come... So far?--_

She was crying again. For Inuyasha. But it was doubled, as had been the blade of the sword.

The remainder of Kikyou's soul had been freed and set forth into Kagome's body. And she felt it. It had been there before, but she hadn't been conscious of it. That was different now. It wasn't as if Kikyou _lived_ inside her, it was simply that Kikyou's feelings had transcended into Kagome's body.

She understood now. She understood why Inuyasha loved Kikyou the way he did. She understood why Inuyasha loved her in such a different way. She could comprehend the reason behind all the midnight escapes and possible trysts and want of revenge. And she hated understanding. But it gave her peace, too. She could try to accept it.

But with these feelings, she was reminded of her own. She and Kikyou really weren't all that different. Both hearts had yearned for the same thing, but minds had been telling the bodies different things. Kikyou had caused her so much pain, and now she was feeling hurt anew for the feelings she realized were real.

_So why did I care if Kikyou died?_

She did care. She knew that. But why?

_Because Inuyasha loved her, and because she was an intrinsic part of me. If Kikyou died, something would have died in Inuyasha, right? And he couldn't have been happy. Happiness... A dream past the rainbow wrapped in the fallacies and deficiencies of human nature..._

All in all, Kagome _loved_ Inuyasha. And if Inuyasha had chosen the school girl, he'd still be alive. Maybe not. Maybe this was fated. Maybe this was supposed to happen... Maybe not.

The strange lady Mariko was holding her through her tears and her rumination. It was comforting but awkward.

"Get out of my way, you fool! She needs to see me!" A familiar voice; a star shining through the haze of anguish and misery that clouded her view and replayed over and over the events of earlier.

Sango. It was Sango. Cursing at the men sitting outside the door. They told her over and over that the healer was with the girl and that she shouldn't be disturbed. They were taking care of her health and trying to learn of the tragedy at present.

With threats and no time, Sango was admitted and Kagome collapsed into her arms. The arms of a friend; one of the only friends she had left in this world she was now wishing she'd never entered.

Soft words were being murmured in her ear and her hair was being stroked, but it didn't matter. She could smile but it wouldn't mean anything. Her laugh would be empty and her heart would be sore...

But the love both she and Kikyou held for the hanyou would be immortal.

**END**

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-sniff- It kinda sucked, didn't it? Was it anti-climactic? o.O

(1) I can't get the spelling of that name right.. Maybe I'll umm.. Look it up on that review DFGH have me before I upload this x.x...

I thank you all for coming this far and reading this to the end. -blows kisses- The end of my very first Inu fic! I hope there will be more to come, but who knows? Tell me what you thought? Nicely? I was nice to Kagome, wasn't I? Didn't kill her off like I was tempted to a couple of times.. XDD

October 3: My best friends birthday! I dedicate this last chapter to her and all ya'll that've come all this way just to read my stuff! -curtsey-

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Outtie!


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